Star Wars What If: Mace Windu survives the fall
by ObsessiveFanfictions
Summary: Mace Windu claimed he never was attached to anyone or anything, but in reality, he was too loyal to the Republic. When his world and his precious Republic fall in the shadow of the Galactic Empire, he must use all of his skills to stay alive, and when the time is right, exact his revenge… (Note this is meant for fun and not meant to be taken seriously)
1. PART 1

PART 1

HIDING


	2. Waking Up

My eyes opened. I looked straight forward to see a concrete wall in front of me, I realised I was lying down on the cold stone floor, not remembering how I got here, or why I was here. It was obviously the will of the Force for me to by lying here, 'But I'm Mace Windu!' I thought to myself. 'General of the Clone Army! I shouldn't be here!' I tried to get up, but an the strain I felt sheer agony in my legs, my arms, my right wrist and my ribs, and collapsed to the floor. I went to place my hands on my ribs, to see if they were broken, only to realise.

My right hand wasn't there.

I stared at the stump that was my wrist, a clean cut then had been instantly cauterised. Strangely, I didn't feel any pain in my wrist, which meant the pain must have died off, so how long was I out, and who did this? I checked my belt for my lightsaber, without success, remembering I naturally held my weapon in my right hand, which meant, wherever my seperated hand was, my lightsaber was probably with it. I battled my broken body to at least sit-up. I barely managed it. I felt down my legs with my left hand. Both were broken. I pulled up the sleeve on my right arm, unable to do it on my left, and saw scorch marks that must have been inflicted by force lightning, so the one who crippled me must've been a Sith. I'd never battled Sith before, apart from Count Dooku, but he's dead! It might be the Sith Lord that the Jedi Order are currently seeking now, I banished the thought from my mind, it would only cause me more guilt that I didn't strike the evil Sith down, guilt was a path to the Dark Side. I pushed myself up to my knees, then I slowly raised up to stand. My legs almost buckled, so I leaned against the concrete, I thought about making crutches from the abandoned pipes streaking across the opposite wall, but the Force could sustain me. I looked around my surroundings, and found I was in one of the deserted Coruscant Underworld backstreets. Just my luck! I wasn't kidding either, it was lucky I wasn't unconscious in one of the main streets of the Underworld, or else I'd be put up for sale on the Black Market with the broken droids and scrap from trash heap worlds like Raxus Prime in the Outer Rim. This made me think, did the 'Sith Lord' I believed I fought place me here, did I fall, or was the battle in this very alley? If it was the last suggestion, then I'd be dead, if it was the first, the Sith Lord would've killed me. I must've fell, but from where? I looked up in search of a possible area. The only place that seemed to fit the bill was the Senate Building, I squinted my eyes to search for broken windows or walls, I could only see one, the Chancellor's office, Palpatine's office.

Suddenly the memories flooded back, Palpatine was the Sith Lord, me, Jedi Masters Kit Fisto, Agen Kolar and Saesee Tiin were sent to arrest him for crimes against the Republic, unfortunately, all three were slain, and me and Palpatine fought to the death, then I knocked the lightsaber out of his hands, he dropped to the floor, then... Then he... I racked my brains for what happened next... then he... fell onto the floor, pleading for his life, when... Anakin Skywalker then ran into the room and demanded he be sent to jail instead of executed. Then... I vaguely remember Skywalker reaching for his lightsaber, then a blue flash, I just fell down the side of the senate building and landed... here. I noticed the alley turn off into the main streets so I walked over to it, then remembered, I didn't have a weapon, and tonnes of criminals and smugglers walking the streets outside. I contemplated whether to just go for it, or stay in the shadows. I decided to go for the latter, jumping on top a single storey building which I think was a bar. I leapt across the street then swung down into the shadows, headed for a small shop I knew a few blocks away, owned by a personal friend. I creeped along the the walls, and I saw many criminals who were wanted by the republic for the likes of murder, fraud and selling faulty machinery, I saw Drexl, Choppah, Kleef, Greedo and many others. I almost reached the store when someone blocked my path, a Rodian.

'You looked lost, friend.' He chuckled, holding a hand up to his partners, a Dug and a Gungan.

'I don't want any trouble.' I grunted, disguising my voice and keeping my head down, trying to past him.

The Rodian sidestepped to block my path. 'Come on, I'm only being polite.' He smiled.

'I don't want any trouble.' I repeated, trying to get past him again.

The Rodian sidestepped once more, blocking my path again, he turned to his friends, who smiled at him, then turned back to me, holding a gun to my forehead. 'Well, if you keep that attitude when someone tries to help then you're run into a lot of trouble, friend.' The Rodian smiled again. I took a step back, the Rodian took a step forward. I decided I only had one chance left, and gripped the criminal with Force Choke with my left hand, the only deadly force attack I was allowed to use by the council. In the Trial Of Skill, one of the Jedi Trials, I battled against Darth Desolous, a long dead Pau'an who was a Jedi turned Sith, and slaughtered over 2,000 Jedi, he commented during combat. 'You have anger, but you don't use it.' At my actions the Dug and Gungan drew their weapons, and pointed them at me.

'Arrgh! Let the Sith go!' The Rodian struggled, at his words his comrades backed down.

'I'm not a Sith.' I told him, smashing his body against the floor, the use of the Force strained my body, and I had to hold myself up against a crate, with only one arm, leaving stump covered in my robes. Once I felt I could walk again I did, about three meters away, was the store my friend owned. I hobbled along, then knocked on the closed door with my weaker hand, but I was still being watched by the Dug, the Gungan was helping his weakened partner to his feet, although he kept stealing glances towards me.

'The store isn't open, sorry.' Came a gruff, low voice from inside the building.

'Parken, it's me.' I called.

'What? Who?' Came the voice again.

'Parken! It's me, Mace! Now let me in before I get murdered or put on a stall as a slave!' I shouted.

'Oh!' Came the voice. A few moments later the door swung open, a head appearing round the edge. 'Mace? Quickly, come inside!' The voice hissed. He shuffled me inside and sat me down in his store, which sold exotic fruits and vegetables from distant planets, the only store on Coruscant to sell these things, but nothing was there, only two knocked over chairs, the glass that should've been protecting the missing fruits was smashed and the paintings and artwork on the walls were covered in a thick miasma of greyish sludge.

'What the heck happened here, Parken?' I stared in amazement.

'We'll get to that later. Mace, what happened to you? You're using crutches and you've got gashes across your cheeks!'

'I fell out of the Senate building.' I said quickly, at my words Parken's mouth began to open, looking for words, but I cut across him. 'What happened to your store?'

'Er, okay, er.' Parken stuttered, stooping down and propping up the fallen chairs, then gesturing to me to take a seat, then took one himself. 'Er, about fifty-ish minutes ago, three Republic guards stormed in here looking for Jedi, in the heat of the moment I told them I knew no Jedi, I mean, afterwards I thought I should've told them I knew you, because maybe they were looking for you, um, if you had a little, er, misdemeanour in the Underworld, but, er, I didn't and then they, er,' Parken's face twitched. 'Slammed me into the wall then got out a bag then, er, stole all my- all my fruits and vegetables, and, er, got a few Tiarite fruit and sprayed the juice all over the wall! They then, er, knocked over the chairs then walked out the building. The reason I locked the door is because I thought they were- they were coming, um, back. But it was- just you.' I contemplated this for a while, then looked at Parken.

Parker's full name was Parken Drei. He was a Pandoran who had three yellow lines across both cheeks, a common Pandoran feature with sometimes less or more lines, or longer or shorter lines. Parken had many nerves, which was the main reason he wasn't allowed to join the Pandoran planetary guard, added on to the fact he lied about his age anyway. Despite Parken's apparent distrusting personality, he was very loyal to me and was always there when I was in need of help, especially, when I was younger and was sent on missions to the Underworld, as Parken was very well respected by all it's inhabitants, and was known as the only non-corrupt businessman in the Underworld. Parken liked in the flat above his store, where he kept many trinkets and findings from his travels, which he went on regularly, normally back to Pandora to his family, whom he'd never told of, of his residence in the Coruscant Underworld.

'Did they take anything else of value?' I asked him.

'No, er, most things of value I own are missing.'

'Most?'

'Yes, except from one thing.' He replied.

'Which is?'

Parken reached for his belt and held out an object which looked very familiar to me.

'Everything,' Parken began, igniting the blade, releasing a beam of Purple Illum energy. 'Everything except this lightsaber.'


	3. Recovery

My Jedi instincts kicked in, and I pulled the lightsaber out of my trusted friend's hand.

'Mace!' Parken squealed.

'Where did you find this?' I ordered.

'Next to the slave trading store, why?'

'Was there anything next to it?' I asked.

'A hand, a human hand, cut off.' Parken replied.

I showed him my arm, or, what was left of it, and started to freak out.

'Oh- oh my- oh my lord! That must be- that must be yours!'

'Yes, it is!'

'Then there must be some sorta- some sorta Sith Lord or something!'

'Exactly, I need to keep my head low, not just to get out of this place, but so this guy's spies don't notice me!'

'I think I have a spare cloak upstairs, er, let me check.' Parken leapt up off of his seat and scampered upstairs.

A few moments later Parken's boots could be heard trampling down the stairs, when his face swung round the doorway.

'Will this work?' He enquired nervously.

'Anything, thanks Parken.' I replied.

'It's the least I can do, if I can help with anything else-'

'That's fine Parken, you probably wouldn't fare well against this Sith Lord, and, what I believe, his new Apprentice.'

'Who is this Sith Lord, anyway?'

'You probably won't believe me, but, Chancellor Palpatine is the Sith Lord the Order's been looking for.' I told him.

'What! Chancellor Palpatine? A Sith Lord? I've always thought that he cared more about the- about the wealthier citizens of the Republic than the- than the poorer but- I never thought he was a- Sith Lord!' He ranted in disbelief.

'He is.'

'Oh my- er, are you sure I can't help you?' Parken asked.

'No but- hang on, there is one thing...'

I watched Parken drive the Speeder through the streets of Coruscant, weaving past Speeders going the other way. I just spotted the Jedi Temple in the distance when something crashed into the starboard of the Speeder. I looked to my right and saw the Speeder that made the collision.

It was the three criminals I'd bumped into earlier.

'You Jedi Poodoo!' The Dug screeched, it's ugly features becoming even more noticeable.

I turned back to face Parken. 'How nice.'

A bolt of red streaked through the air, narrowly missing my head. I turned back to see the Gungan brandishing a pistol. He fired again, I ducked the laser as it struggled through the hustle and bustle. The Gungan cursed, slamming his hand off the side of the Speeder in anger. He took aim and fired again, but I was ready for him, I quickly turned on my lightsaber and deflected the shot in one quick wrist movement, with my weaker hand as well, which I think was quite impressive. The bolt mirrored it's first path, heading right back to it's firer. The bolt hit the Gungan in the stomach, causing him to keel over and accidentally firing, the laser hit the pilot, the Rodian, in the base of the neck, his head dropped on to the Steering wheel and the Speeder's horn went off in a shrill blast and the Speeder flew uncontrollably in all directions. The Dug, the only one on the Speeder who wasn't dead or heavily injured, leapt over to the steering wheel and attempted to clear the danger, without success.

The Speeder looped every, down and around, streaming through a cluster of Speeder whizzing in every direction, it was lucky the Speeder didn't crash then, but that luck didn't last for long, as the Speeder flew straight into a block of flats, boom! I could relax now, I turned away from the wreckage to see Parken hyperventilating.

'That- that- that- that was brilliant, Mace, wow.' He breathed.

'Well, they were shooting at us, so what else could I do?' I played down the praise.

'Nothing.' He smiled.

'There's the temple,' I said, pointing at the majestic building. 'Drop me off at the East Entrance, I need to find Kazdan.' I told him.

The Speeder pulled up at the platform to the Temple's East Entrance, I got out of the Speeder and thanked Parken for his help.

'Least I can do, Mace, er, glad to be of help.' And Parken sped away, into the invisible passageways which were the Coruscant roads.

I hobbled up the stairs and into the Eastern Entrance Hall. I made my way through the corridors and hallways, looking for the youngling training room. Ah! Here it is. I opened the door to see Kazdan Paratus doing a demonstration with a eye-guard, with a Jedi Training Droid circling round, firing shots occasionally.

'-You need to be one with the Force-' He began.

'Master Paratus?' I asked for his attention.

Kazdan Paratus lifted his eye-guard, and the droid stopped circling and just hovered.

'Ah, Master Windu, for what do you want of me?' He enquired in a friendly voice.

'You're the master of robotics, Kazdan, I need a bit of help.'

'I wouldn't go that for, but, anything you need, Master Windu, I'm happy to help.' Kazdan walked over to me.

'I've been in accident, I've broken my legs, my ribs and, well, everything. I was wondering whether I could borrow one of your, personal medical droids?' I asked.

'Yeah, sure, nasty. In confidentiality? I'm only joking! An injury of this manner would have to be reported to the council, of course.' Kazdan chuckled.

'Yes, Master Paratus, but I'd like the report to be in my own words.'

'Of course. Just head to the Medical centre and one of my droids'll be there to help you, Master.'

'Thank you.'

Kazdan's droid gave me anaesthetic before it operated on me, and when I woke up I saw Kazdan on a stool inspecting my right arm, which he held in his hand, I saw a hand was on my arm now, a new hand, a robotic hand, but that would do.

'Oh, my! What did you do, Master Windu?'

'We received a tip-off, that Chancellor Palpatine was the Sith Lord we've been looking for. So, me, Master Fisto, Master Kolar and Master Tiin arrived at his office placing him under arrest for crimes against the Republic, he played misjudged suspect for a while, then ambushed us, slaying Master Kolar and Master Tiin in quick succession, then Master Fisto was killed. Me and Palpatine duked it out for a time, then I knocked the lightsaber out of his hand, and I was going to end this, when Anakin Skywalker interrupted Palpatine's execution, cutting off my hand, then Palpatine threw me out of the window of the Senate Building, thats why I have these injuries.'

'So Palpatine's the Sith Lord?' Kazan asked.

'Yes.'

'We have to warn everyone else! Before Skywalker and Palpatine make another move!'

'I agree.' I replied.

Me and Kazan ran into the North Entrance Hall, I could run again, now that my legs were fixed. We almost took a right up to the council office, but we both did a double take. A cloaked figure was making his way up the steps, followed by the 501st Legion of Clone Troopers. The cloaked figure looked familiar.

Anakin Skywalker.


	4. Escaping Betrayal

Oh no. I knew exactly what had happened. Anakin Skywalker, the Chosen One, has been twisted to the Dark Side by this Sith Lord, and he's brought the entire 501st Legion with him, oh no. They're gonna storm the Temple. I turned to my right, Kazdan was already off, running away from battle in his own home! I placed my cloak even further over my head, if I manage to get away Skywalker will know I'm still alive, if I pretend to be just so random Jedi Knight caught n battle, I might just manage to escape Skywalker's clutches, I have to let him believe I'm dead. I heard a scream coming from down the hall, a battle cry. I saw three Padawans, who I recognised had almost finished their Jedi Trials, run up to oncoming war machine. Two were cut down by the Clones' blaster fire, and the last was easily sliced in half by Skywalker's blade. I stood suspended as many Jedi followed the Padawan's fate. I used the secret passages beneath the Temple, the one only Masters knew about, a Master, something Skywalker had not become. While in the passages I noticed some Jedi Masters leading Padawans and Younglings away from the danger. I noticed Mara Jade holding an injured Knight, the poor soul had a blaster impact square in chest, unfortunately, as I knew, he didn't have much more time left. I approached a dead-end, or what looked like, I did a secret Jedi ritual (which was basically sit cross-legged with eyes shut) in front of the "dead-end", and the wall slid downwards, I walked into the Main Hall, which was barricaded and filled with hundreds of people, all Jedi, all sitting down, all looking at Jedi Master Shaak Ti, who was co-ordinating the Jedi into groups that went into the secret passages, so that's what I saw earlier.

'Master Windu!' She called when she saw me. 'I thought you were dead!'

'Not yet.' I said. 'What's happening?'

'We're separating everyone into groups, every Master has a group, and as many Knights, Padawans and Younglings as we can through the secret tunnels, before the clones arrive.' She told me.

A voice rung out from the crowd. 'Their just clones! We're Jedi! We can take them down easily!'

The voice's speech brought many 'Yeah!'s and 'No!'s from many others.

'SILENCE!' Shaak Ti ordered. 'Master Windu has something to say!' She inclined her head towards me and took a step back, letting me be centre of attention.

I cleared my throat and looked at all the helpless faces, needing a guide to help them through these dark times.

'You may think we can destroy these attackers, you may believe you are the better fighters,' I heard a Youngling at the front whisper 'because we are.' But I didn't listen. 'That, my brothers and sisters in arms, is egotistical, that leads to fear, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering, and suffering leads to the Dark Side, the Dark Side is something that the Jedi, when our religion was founded, is something all Jedi vowed to banish, as the Dark Side is used for evil! The Dark Side of the Force, is something that consumes both the Sith Lord co-ordinating this attack, and his apprentice, leading the Clone Troopers against their generals. Everyone, I'm sure that you've heard, of the Chosen One, a legend engraved in Jedi folklore, let me tell you right now, that this theory, isn't true! We found a young boy who had even more midi-chlorians in his blood than even Master Yoda! This boy grew to be one of the most reckless people I've ever met, but he was just as loyal, but he went down the path to the Dark Side, he fell in love with someone, and he feared to lose this loved one, and this Sith mastermind, turned him into a monster, now he is storming this Temple with his Clone Legion, this is what the Dark Side does, it turns you into an evil murderer, you can't love anything anymore, you will eventually end up being betrayed or betraying your comrades, and turning back from everything you know, it is a choice only selfish people take. A choice only cowards take. Always remember that the Force is with you, and don't go down the path to the Dark Side, and may the Force be with you, always.'

'Excuse me Master Ti.' I asked Shaak Ti who was standing next to me. 'But once they're out of the Temple, where does everyone go?'

Shaak Ti looked at me and replied. 'We've arranged for a close friend of mine to give us space freighters and small carriers to fly out into Star Systems in the Outer Rim, each packed with enough Escape Pods to jettison into different planets in the System.'

'For free?' I asked, raising and eyebrow.

'Oh no.' Shaak Ti chuckled. 'Like all dealers, he wants a price, but in the current circumstances he's given us a small discount.'

'Right.' I chuckled too. I guess a few people would call that a rare sight.

'Do you want to join with the other Masters, unless you want to take over?' Shake Ti asked.

'I'll join with the other Masters.' I told her.

She inclined her head forward slightly to signal she understood.

'Oh, and, Kazdan Paratus, I think he's fled.' I added.

'We heard that a small carrier left a few minutes ago, it's passengers an organic life-form and a few droids.' The Jedi Master replied.

'That sounds like him.' I confirmed.

I walked over to the line of Jedi Masters, who were ready to be assigned their own group. Next to me was Jedi Master Ether Koth, who turned to me.

'Master Windu, what do you think will happen to the Jedi who are on the front lines, like Master Kenobi, Master Mundi and Master Koon?' Ether Koth asked.

'I just hope they manage to sense this disturbance in the Force, and read between the lines, we know General Grievous is dead, who else could lead a full scale invasion other than him or Count Dooku?' I replied.

'I agree, Master.' Koth returned, turning back to face the groups.

One by one different groups of Younglings, mixed with Padawans and Jedi Knights, were assigned a Jedi Master, and delved into the secret passages of the Jedi Temple, not knowing what was in there, and what was waiting for them when they got out...

Finally, Ether Koth departed into a passage with a group, and I was assigned a final group, it was quite dangerous, as the Clones were smart enough to eventually realise where all the Jedi were disappearing too.

I was assigned a group filled with mostly Knights, I guessed Shaak Ti knew of the enhanced dangers for the final group, as she tagged along with my group as well. We entered a passage through a trap door which was hidden underneath a statue, which would move when the right ankle of the statue is pushed inwards like a button, Shaak Ti leapt into the passage first then giving us the all clear signal.

I gestured to the Knights to jump in through the trapdoor first, then the Padawans, then the Younglings, then just before I jumped in myself, I looked behind to the barricade, which was taking a beating, before it all crumbled, leaving a thick cloud of smoke from the rubble. Swiftly, I jumped into the the passage and shut the trapdoor and felt the statue move back in it's place above me before the smoke disappeared.


	5. Splitting Up

I squeezed past the single file line of a mix of nervous and courageous Jedi until I reached the front, Shaak Ti went the other way, to the back. Once at the front I silently gestured to walk forwards, though silently, so we didn't attract the attention of any bloodthirsty Clones above. We were walking for ten minutes, undisturbed, although many of the more unexperienced Jedi were making clumsy noises and started talking, there were no signs that there was going to be any trouble approaching. That's what we thought, until there were small noises heard up ahead, the noises probably wouldn't be picked up normally, but my Jedi instincts helped me hear the upcoming noise.

'Shh!' I hissed, and all the chatter stopped. Just like that, I pressed my hand to my ear, and heard quiet talking, slowly getting louder, it was pitch black up ahead, but I could still hear the voices.

'I still can't believe we found this place.' Came the unmistakable voice of a Clone Trooper.

'Neither can I, no doubt a few Jedi escaped through this place.' Came another Clone voice, slightly different.

'We don't know that any Jedi escaped through this place,' Said another slightly different Clone voice, belonging to a Sergeant by the sound of things. 'We don't where it leads, it could be a trap, a dead-end.'

'Why didn't we tell Lord Vader about this, Sir?' Came voice one.

'Like I said, if we told him about it, he'll go down this passage, and if it was a dead end, he would come back up and kill us, remember what happened to Glider?' Said the Sergeant.

'Didn't Lord Vader kill him for just saying they would get slaughtered if they went in there?' Voice two spoke.

'Must've been a fault in his genetics, the Kaminoans might have just twitched on a lever or something, held a bit too much respect for the Jedi Order.' The Sergeant informed his inferiors.

'I think there was a fault in Jaxon's genetics too!' Laughed voice two.

'Shut up, Bulldog!' Voice one retaliated, and the sound of armour against stone was heard.

Nice to know a few Clones kept their sense of humour after this betrayal.

'Oi! Keep quiet you two, if there is Jedi down this pathway they'll be able to know you're coming!' The Sergeant ordered.

'Sorry sir.' Said voice one.

'Sorry sir.' Said voice two.

Although now the voices had stopped, footsteps could be heard getting louder too.

They weren't that close.

Now a bit close.

Now slightly closer.

Now they're close.

They're quite close.

They're even closer.

Now they're very close.

Now they're extremely close!

'Wait a minute I think I see something.' Said the Sergeant, his armour clanking together as he moved, his footsteps really loud now.

I could see the Sergeant's helmet poke through the darkness.

'Wait! It's the Jedi!' The Sergeant screamed, I ignited my lightsaber as he fired twice, I deflected both shots, both rebounded towards their firer, one hit off the Sergeant's left shoulder, causing him to stumble back and place a lot of weight on his left leg, the other hit him in the chest, causing him to propel backwards, clearing the way for his brothers.

'Arghh! Blast him!' Said voice one whilst firing, which belonged to the Clone in the front.

I used to Force to pull him towards me and left my lightsaber pointing forward for him to be pulled into it, his body repulsed outwards in reaction, but then went limp, I pushed the Clone off the lightsaber and only voice two's owner was left, he screamed and ran back down the passage, heading back to his leader to report our whereabouts, he didn't go far, I threw my lightsaber in his direction and it hit him in the back, he let out one final scream and fell to the floor. The lightsaber raised itself out the Trooper's back and flew into my hand and deactivated itself, I attached the lightsaber back to my belt and continued forward with the rest of my assigned group. We never met any more difficulties along the way, and the passage ended at a "dead end" but the obstacle removed itself and the group found itself in the East Wing of the Jedi Temple. I walked up into a corridor, closely followed by my group, we approached a junction in the maze of corridor's, I decided to take a left onto the East Platform, where Parken Drei dropped me off earlier. As I turned the corner I saw several Clones walk onto the platform through the entrance, I quickly turned back and hid against the wall, before looking round the corner again and, seeing no Clones, I risked it and got the convoy across the other side of the entrance. I looked back to notice that one of the young Padawans was missing, I looked out onto the platform and that very Padawan running out to face the Clones, he jumped a few of them, the Clones started firing at him, he deflected most shots, but one unfortunately hit him, and he collapsed to the floor, I caught a glimpse of Bail Organa wailing at the Clones, then speeding off in his luxury PL-90 Luxury Speeder.

'Blast!' I moaned, as the recklessness and inexperience of this young Palawan cost him his life. I was aiming to clear the Platform anyway, but that death could have been averted. I called over Shaak Ti and explained my plan to her, she nodded in approval and detached her lightsaber from it's holster, as did I, I selected a few experienced Knights to help me on this task, because, as recent events had just shown, experience was key, and speed was key.

Me, Shaak Ti and the three Knights moved in a horizontal line stretching to cover the width of the Platform, we ambushed the Clones and almost instantly gained territory back from the Clones. Shaak Ti had given the leader of each group a small device that had a button on that, when pressed, would send out a micro-communication wave across a communication stream, that had been reserved to only Shaak Ti, her "good friend" waiting for us and every Jedi Master who'd she'd given one too, I didn't get one, as she already had one, and she was in the group so why bother? When pressed the device will reveal the location of it's holder to everyone on the comms stream, that's how Shaak Ti co-ordinated the groups, when the button was pressed, she would let another group go, so as not to get tangled up with each other. She pressed the button on her device, now we had to play the waiting game. It didn't take long for Shaak Ti's contact to arrive, he landed on the platform with a Speeder Bus, opening the door and hastily saying, 'Get in!' Me and Shaak Ti watched everyone inside, before we entered ourselves. The bus driver drove quickly, and nervously, swerving drastically at the most minor of occurrences.

'So you're the last group?' The bus driver asked.

'Yes.' Shaak Ti confirmed.

'Fantastic,' The bus driver began. 'You know, my bus had to shake off a military escort! Just as your lot got in the vehicle Clone Troopers appeared next to the bus and asked who I was trafficking! I said I was waiting for someone, then they told me to leave the perimeter immediately, so for the next ten minutes I was trying to lose a Republic Gunship that was following me! I even had to fly near the Underworld to get rid of it! That wasn't in the bargain Togruta!'

I turned to Shaak Ti. 'Nice friend.'

'I said that just to convince you.' Shaak Ti smiled.

The bus was descending down into a hanger, and it landed abruptly on the ground. The bus doors opened and we got out, walking towards a group of hundreds of Jedi, waiting for their transport to be prepared for flight, I heard the bus driver complaining to his workmates.

'Remind me to stay off work for the next week.' He groaned.

I joined the group and sat down, looking to the future and what lay ahead...


	6. Crash Landing

I looked around the dealer's hangar, in looked bigger than it did at first sight, but doesn't everything? I decided to take this chance and meditate, because the future ahead was very cloudy, messed up by this new imbalance in the Force, so I attempted to clear as much of the clouds that I can, so I can sort of predict how my life will go for upcoming years. I didn't see much, other than fear, destruction, and the chorus of Palpatine screaming: 'POWER!' Lastly, I saw myself looking down a giant red hexagonal tunnel running for miles. One by one the different transports carrying exiling Jedi out of Republic Space and into the Outer Rim, if anything, I would've liked to end up in a Separatist territory, although the chances were slim. I walked over to the transport that was reserved for my assigned group, it had light defensive weaponry, and, like the filter Shaak Ti had given to the dealer for the ships, it had plentiful escape pods and a Hyperdrive. Apparently the Ship dealer had recovered this ship on his travels on a luxury cruise on his holidays, the cruise including a small visit to Mandalore, where he found it in a wreckage, he said that he abandoned the cruise just for this ship, it was in pretty good shape and, it would cost.

We would spot any incoming Republican threats, as we knew exactly what they looked like after years of commanding them against the Separatists and the Confederacy. I'd heard that Luminara Unduli had sacrificed herself to save her group, as they'd been spotted by Clones near the rendezvous point, the group made, Luminara wasn't so lucky. Ether Koth's group boarded a small carrier which, a few moments later blasted off into space, I knew then that I'd probably not see anyone in the previous groups ever again. Our group waited another five minutes before the vehicle was ready.

'All aboard!' One of the workers called.

My group all simultaneously stood up from their original sitting position. Entering the defensive vessel in a big disorganised huddle, all struggling to get in as quick as they could, who knows? They could've been traced. Me and Shaak Ti moved to enter last, but our entrance was blocked by the worker, who held out his hand. I looked at him questioningly, but Shaak Ti held out her hand and dropped a few thousand credits into the worker's hand, who then stepped aside, letting us through.

I walked through the transport's corridor, even though it was astonishingly well modelled, I didn't really take it all in, just wanting to get out of Republic territory. i hastily descended into the pilot chair, Shaak Ti sat in the co-pilot seat, readying the ship for flight, we'd ordered all capable gunners command the defensive weapons, then activate the weapons, giving the pilot the signal to begin ignition. Once all weapons were manned, we activated the reactors, and the engines ignited, lifting the ship off of the surface and into the clouds, once out of the planets atmosphere, I pressed several buttons overhead and pushed a lever forward on the lower panel and everything seemed to slow down and the ship seemed to fall into a blue wormhole, before the blue, black and white flashed by for about ten seconds until everything slowed and the ship resumed normal pace, the ship pulled nearer to the centre of the galaxy, before slowing.

'Any threats?' I asked Shaak Ti, who looked out through the cockpit window for a sign of danger.

'Not really, but that star seems to be getting bigger.' She informed.

'Star? Where?' I asked, twisting my head to look for what she was talking about.

'There, that one.' She pointed, at a growing light in the darkness of space.

'That ain't no star.' I said, a certain tone in my voice.

The "star" was getting even bigger, suddenly it's shape becoming even more recognisable as it got closer. It was a Consular class Republic Cruiser. Suddenly the colours of the vessel could be seen, this was a Consular Class alright. The hangar doors of the Cruiser opened, allowing fifty Arc Fighter escape, headed straight for the ship. I pressed many buttons on the console, and igniting the forward shields and firing the fore blasters on the ship.

As the blasters fired, the Arc Fighters took evasive manoeuvres, right in place for the other guns to start firing. The Fighters turned round for another run, starting to fire again, one particular shot hitting the rear of the vehicle, I counted sixteen Fighters left. They came round for a third run, hitting the target plenty times, the cockpit went up flames, and as me and Shaak Ti escaped the doomed place, the corridor's floor and wall plates exploded outwards, I had to duck under one that flew right over my head. Suddenly the lights went out, and the emergency lighting took place. I told my group to head for the Escape Pods.

'But the Fighters will pick us off!' One Knight questioned.

'No they won't, along as we take evasive manoeuvres!' I called.

The group hurriedly descended to the Escape Deck. And me and Shaak Ti began filling up the Escape Pods.

After they'd been filled, we checked the life count on the doors of the Pods after they'd been shut.

'Master Windu!' Shaak Ti called. 'We're missing one!'

I racked my brains for where the missing could be. 'The guns! They've stayed there to clear the fighters!'

I began to hurry back up to the guns, but the roof collapsed, and the air began to get sucked away, too late.

'Go, go, go, go!' I screamed, ushering my fellow Jedi Master into an Escape Pod, and getting in one myself.

I quickly launched the Pod, and headed for a cyan-ish planet which was Felucia, where I knew Ayala Secura was patrolling the planet, probably already dead. As the Pod entered the atmosphere, the exterior began to fire up, it was getting really hot inside, and oceans of sweat dripped down my cheeks. Two Arc Fighters dropped in behind my trail, one was destroyed by the guns on our Escape ship, the one inside sacrificing themselves to save us, I never knew who it was, but nevertheless I would honour their memory.

The other remained persistent, as the Pod broke through the Ozone Layer suddenly it felt like I was plummeting to my death. I tried to pull up, to land on a surface that wasn't already covered by gigantic plants and mushrooms. This gave me an idea, I dipped the nose of the Pod downwards, causing it to descend even further, when reaching Felucia's natural plant height, which was above seven miles above sea level, I began to twist and turn between the branches and brambles. The Arc Fighter shot the engine, causing it to bust, now I was naturally falling. I swerved even further, then eventually the wing of the Arc Fighter got caught on the stem of a ginormous mushroom, and it flung about like a pinball. I looked backwards, happy at my work, before looking forward and seeing a looming tree in my path, I crashed into it, and the Pod swung around and around, diving towards the Felucian ground, I managed to pull up, probably saving my life, the Pod skidded across the surface and stopped to a halt, now, I had to survive on my own.


	7. Beastly Encounter

My head was going round and round in the Escape Pod, my vision blurry, I felt I was gonna black out, until I heard an explosion behind me which snapped me right out of it. My body was battered by the crash, I kicked the Pod door several times and it eventually broke off it's hinges. I crawled out and managed to stand, looking over the smashed up Escape Pod and saw the wreckage of a fallen Arc Fighter, t's engines alight. The Arc Fighter's cockpit was fogged, but I scarcely could see through, but I did notice movement. I walked over to the Fighter and opened the cockpit. A Clone Pilot was sat weary in the seat. I picked him up using the Force and flung him on the floor, his body skidding across the ground. The Pilot attempted to get up, but I Force pushed him back down.

'What is this?' I demanded.

'What is what?' The Pilot asked.

'Why are the Clone Troopers betraying the Jedi?' I commanded.

'Why should I tell you?' The Pilot began. 'I'm dead anyway.'

I picked him up using the Force and ignited my lightsaber.

'Ok! Ok! I'll- tell you!' The Pilot pleaded with a struggle. 'Lord Sidious recruited Count Dooku to his cause, then told him to kill- Jedi Master Syfo-Dyas, then- to implant an programming into the scheduled Clone Troopers, so, when the time was right, they would turn on their Jedi Generals- then he appointed himself to become Republic- Republic- Chancellor of the Galactic Senate, he then declared war on the Separatists, while Dooku was commandeering the Separatists, so the Jedi would need the Clone Troopers, they couldn't- reject them. Now- the time- is- is right.'

At his words I looked downwards, at my feet, the Jedi had been played, a chess piece in Palpatine strategy, a pawn in his plan for supremacy. I felt awful. I deactivated my lightsaber, and looked up, the Pilot was holding on to life, desperately keeping himself from falling to his injuries. It wasn't the Jedi way, I wasn't going to turn my back on my upbringing. I decided to put leave him, I then walked away, but something didn't feel right, I heard a gun click, and deflected the Pilot's shot without looking, bending my arm behind my back and pointing the lightsaber downwards. I'd turned round to see the Pilot, with one hand clutching his stomach, a blaster wound could be seen there, and the other with a gun raised. The Pilot's body suddenly becoming limp, the gun dropping to the floor, and the hand pressuring the wound slipped off the corpse's torso onto the ground. I walked away from the wreckages, into the sprawling Felucian forests, trees bigger than star cruisers, and mushrooms wider than the Jedi Temple, I'm not exaggerating, they literally were. In the forests I didn't see any wildlife at all, apart from plants, and I needed food, I couldn't spot any berries or fruit of any sort, now I wish I got some fruit from Parken's store, but then I remembered that he'd been robbed, assaulted, even. I needed food, I'd hadn't eaten for about a several days, because I'd been caught up in tonnes of work and filing to do, then Anakin told me about Palpatine being a Sith Lord, and, you know the rest. I ended up climbing up to one of the trees, not a gigantic tree, about the size of your normal tree, and leapt from tree to tree looking for food.

Soon after, I approached a cliff-face, and I began to look for a way to avoid this obstacle, I even considered climbing up to Felucia's natural plant level to get over it, but once up there I make one mistake and I'm dead. I searched the surface, this was even bigger than those massive cliffs on Teth. I managed to find a sort of cave mouth on the cliff face, but it was protected by a turquoise, blobby substance, I attempted to cut through it with my lightsaber, but the blob sort of healed itself, the hole I'd cut almost instantly replacing itself. I stared at this substance, generally vexed by what solution I had to use to get through. Finally, I'd decided to Force push my way through, the blob shook violently, but didn't break or dissolve. I decided to build up my energy for five seconds before unleashing it on the substance, which kind of dissolved into slithery particles surrounding itself around the cave mouth. I walked through the cave passage which had this eerie green glow inside, with algae, moss and vines shaping themselves into stalactites on the passage roof. I'd been walking for twenty minutes now, my stomach raging like an earthquake, I now started to feel ill by hunger. I came across one of those blob things again, and racked my brain for what I did last time, my brain wasn't working properly, I was that hungry. I eventually remembered what I did, and Force pushed the blobby thing, which imploded once again. And I was free, the tunnel had ended, I felt air spreading across my face, and rain continuously bashing on my head, oh, that felt nice. I felt mildly affected by the fact I was in the middle of one of those Felucian raging storms, but I was so hungry, and started to feel choked by the deprivation of fresh in the tunnels. Lightning crashed twenty five meters in front of me, causing a fire in the thick Felucian bush. I realised I was in a small clear space surrounded by Felucian forest, where the fire was spreading. I could hear, through the buzzing in my head, heavy footsteps.

*thud*

*thud*

*thud*

The footsteps coupled with the sound of trees being pushed out of the way and being disjointed. A huge, ugly head poked out from the forest into the clear space, really high in the trees, followed by arms, a torso, and legs. I was shook back into full consciousness when I recognised the look of the beast.

A Rancor.

The beast roared at his discovery, food! It approached me and attempted to crush me with it's fist, I jumped out of the way, this action seemed to enrage the beast even more, as it lunged in, head first, I took this opportunity to jump onto the Rancor's head, and I had to struggle to keep balance as the beast started to shake it's head in order to get me off of it, this caused me to drop my lightsaber as consolation for it. It roared again, and swung it's bulky arms in my direction, I had to duck and dive to dodge them. One of which I ducked, then straightening up again, I got smacked in the face by another hand, and I fell onto the ground. The Rancor quickly grabbed me and held it's hand high up above it's head, and looked up at me, opening it's mouth, ready for it's Supper, it dropped me in...

I thought I was a goner, but I managed to hold myself just above it's mouth, my hands holding on to it's upper lips, my feet using it's lower lip as a foothold. The Rancor shook it's head crazily, and my feet slipped into it's mouth. The Rancor's teeth tried to slam shut, but I used the Force to keep them open, with difficulty, and pulled my legs out, and let the teeth bite thin air, I used the teeth to propel myself with my legs away from the beast, then I, using the Force, picked up a gigantic boulder and throwing it at the Rancor's face, this made it even more angry! The beast roared in lividness, and attempted to squish to squish me with his foot, I used one hand to stop the foot crushing me, as it was inches away from my outstretched hand, and the other to pull my lightsaber, which was a about ten meters away, towards me. With quick reflexes, I let the foot drop , I sliced at the bottom of it with my lightsaber and rolled out of the way. The beast screeched in pain, and it steeled itself to attack again, as his arm stretched out I leapt on to it, I cut off the Rancor's hand and backflipped onto the back of it's neck. I stabbed my blade into into it and let gravity pull me and my weapon down, disintegrating the Rancor's spine. Now it was paralysed I leapt onto it's head and stabbed the sword down, putting the Rancor to rest. I used the spreading fire as a sort of barbecue for the Rancor, as I cut of two of it's fingertips, surely that would suffice? The cooked Rancor's fingertip tasted excellent, as I'm sure anything else would if you'd been deprived of food for more than a week. After that succulent meal I decided to rest for the night, I made a campfire near me and kept my lightsaber by my side, ready to use if something thought they could get a quick snack, but I would know if anything approached I'm a Jedi! I positioned myself to rest my head against a mound of Felucian bush for a pillow against the rock hard trees. It didn't take long for my eyes to droop, my head to tilt, and finally some sleep.


	8. Dreams of What Could Have Been

I walked into the Chancellor's office, Master Tiin Master Fisto and Master Kolar behind me. I saw Palpatine's staring out into the Courscant skies. As if he knew we were here, he span his chair round to look at us.

'Master Windu,' Palpatine said in a friendly manner. 'I take it General Grievous has been destroyed, then?'

I looked at him, trying to find out what he was thinking.

'I must say you're here sooner than expected.' He continued.

I looked at him for a few more seconds, before reaching for my lightsaber. 'In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic,' I spoke clearly. 'You are under arrest, Chancellor.'

'Are you threatening me, Master Jedi?' He enquired, his voice now not that pleasant, raising out of his seat slightly.

I looked at him and confirmed that he seemed like a Sith Lord. 'The Senate will decide your fate.' I said.

'I am the Senate.' Palpatine declared, his voice getting deeper.

'Not yet.' I retorted.

Palpatine rose out of his chair, and suddenly a lightsaber hilt appeared in his hand. 'It's treason, then.' Palatine said threateningly, igniting his lightsaber and jumping into the fray, shouting a fierce battle cry. Palatine drew back his blade and stabbed it forward into Agen Kolar's stomach before he could react, Senseae Tiin tried to get the Sith behind his back, but Palpatine was a step ahead, slicing his lightsaber across his stomach. Then he turned to me and Kit Fisto, we both tried different attacks at him, but he deflected all, we got him in the middle of us, but Palpatine pushed me away and killed Kit Fisto, who flopped to the ground. It was then just me and him, we pushe each other out of the office and into the small dome next to it. Palpatine tried to cut at the chest, but I pulled back, now on the offensive myself, swinging my lightsaber at his head, Palpatine ducked. We then got caught with our lightsabers locked, Palpatine was struggling to compete, his face showed, I just remained calm, but I wanted to kill him, in the name of the Republic, and the Council. We pushed ourselves back into the Chancellor's office, I swung my blade above my head, as did Palaptine, and we crossed our our paths, clashing swords once again, a look of pure hatred in the Sith Lord's face. He backflipped onto a decoration, then propelled himself in front of me. We battled over to the window, where after the weapons clashed we pulled back to cool down, smashing the window as we did. Palpatine lunged in again, but I dodged him. We looked into each others eyes at this moment, and knew that one of us would fall at the end. Palatine lunged once again, however missing. We battled for another moment until I kicked him in the face, causing him to drop his lightsaber out into and stumbling backwards, sitting against the windowsill, I pointed my lightsaber in his face, and he shuffled backwards into the corner of the windowsill. As I approached the Sith I felt another presence in the room that wasn't me or my foe.

'You are under arrest, my Lord.' I mocked. I noticed the new presence to be Anakin Skywalker, I thought I told him to stay at the Temple? Nevertheless, I told him to stay back.

'Anakin, Anakin,' Palpatine pleaded to Skywalker. 'I told you it would come to this. I was right, the Jedi are taking over!'

'The oppression of the Sith will never return! You have lost!' I declared.

Palaptine raised his hands slightly and smiled. 'No, no, no! YOU WILL DIE!' He screamed, a surge of Force Lightning exploding out of his fingertips. I looked away as I raised my lightsaber, as did Anakin, but Palpatine didn't, and stared right into the rebounding sparks.

'He's a traitor!' Palatine spoke in struggle as he tried to kill me.

'He is the traitor!' I told Skywalker, who seemed to be conflicted between good and bad, which seemed to differ from different points of view.

Palpation's face began to age extraordinarily quickly. 'I have the power- to save the one you love!' Palpatine said weakly. 'You must choose!'

I tried my best to keep Skywalker on my side. 'Don't listen to him, Anakin!'

'Don't let him kill me!' Palpatine shrieked, his head shrinking, his jaw getting an underbite. 'I can't hold it any longer! I- I- I- I can't- I- I- I'm weak.'

I managed to gain the upper hand, eradicating the lightning, forcing Palpatine's head to fly backwards.

'Anakin! Help me!' The Sith Lord pleaded groaning and moaning in pain. 'I- I- I- I- I- I can't hold it any longer.' He wheezed.

I'd had enough of the Sith. 'I'm going to end this, once and for all!'

'You can't!' Anakin declared. 'He must stand trial!'

'He has the control of the Senate, and the Courts!' I tried to tell him.' He's too dangerous to be left alive!'

'I'm too weak!' The Sith moaned. 'Don't kill me! Please!'

'It's not the Jedi way!' Anakin shouted. 'He must live!'

I looked at Palpatine one more time, then made my decision.

As if Palpatine read my thoughts, he pleaded once more. 'Please don't!'

'I need him!' Anakin screamed.

I raised my lightsaber.

'Please don't!' My foe shrieked.

'No!' Anakin screamed, reaching for his lightsaber and swinging it at my hand.

I reacted quickly, pulling my lightsaber downwards to deflect it. I looked at Skywalker, my brow furrowing, trying to figure out his reason. Anakin looked shocked, as if he couldn't dictate his actions. Palpatine smiled. 'Well done, Anakin, join me and complete your destiny, strike down this Jedi and take you place at my side!' At Palpatine's words, Anakin deactivated his lightsaber and collapsed on the floor, disgusted by his actions. Palpation's eyes swelled and his mouth opened in shock. 'Anakin! Please! Join me!' Palpatine twisted.

'I'm sorry, Master Windu, I'll head back to the Temple.' Anakin said.

'Yes, you shall.' I said, and Anakin trudged away. 'And Skywalker, for your actions, I hereby grant you the rank of Jedi Master.'

Anakin's face lit up. 'Thank you, Master Windu' He bowed, and walked out of the office.

I turned back to Palpatine. 'Now, I'm going to end this.'

'Please don't!' He screamed, as I brought my lightsaber down on his head...

I next saw myself looking down at dirt thick covered in bushes and plants. I'd killed the Sith Lord! Or I thought I had for half a second, I quickly realised that it was all just a dream, but, how I wished it was real! I got up on my feet and stretched my muscles. I heard a rustle in the leaves and quickly spun around, I a small irregularity in the bushes, and cautiously walked over to it, I pulled the bush away to see a Felucian looking up at me, it took a step away, I raised my hand as a sign of peace, this Felucian seemed... what's the word? The Felucian seemed quite unnerved by me, it was quite Force-sensitive, this Felucian, I was wondering why it was unnerved. I took a step forward it sort of jumped backwards.

'It's ok.' I tried to tell it, cautiously approaching. I took as step, felt a twig snap and I was pulled upwards by some force. I noticed I was trapped by a rope ball that was hanging from a small tree. It must've been hunting, and found something ten times the size of a Numa, as this trap was almost not bug enough to catch a human, the Felucian must've been hunting something smaller and ended finding something else that was bigger. Around the area, many Felucains came out of hiding and lowered the ball. The rope was cut and I was left sitting on the ground surrounded by hungry locals. They were all blue, cyan or green, except for one, which was taller, yellow and had a staff, this must've been the leader. I attempted to communicate with him until I felt a sharp bang on the back of my head, and everything went black...


	9. Stomping on the Inferior

When I woke up I found my hands and feet tied to a log, I looked around, I was upside down, and I was being transported across the Felucian paths by it's strange residents. I saw the Leader holding his staff in one hand, and inspecting my weapon in the other.

'Hey!' I shouted. 'Let me go!'

At my words the Leader turned, and flicked his wrist, a small rock flew out of the thick grass and hit me in the face. He grunted and waved his staff in my direction.

I struggled against the ropes, and I felt the knot binding my left foot loosen, and so did the Felucian holding it in place. He growled, and brandished his Jawbone Sword at me, swiftly tying the knot back to it's original position.

I then tried to put all my weight on my right side, but that didn't work either. I just decided to wait it out.

We'd been walking along the mud and gravel paths for a further five minutes, until, we could see a small conglomeration of dwellings atop a hill. I knew this was our destination, if the village belonged to another tribe then why would they come up here? I hung my head back to look at the Felucian guarding the rear of the convoy, it looked down at me, making gurgling noises I didn't understand. I looked forward to see we'd almost made it up the hill. I looked round the village, the houses were made out of wood and straw, with makeshift tools. They had a tripod in middle, a vicious fire occupying the space in between the legs, a stone circle surrounding the fire. The villagers marvelled at the hunting squads earnings. Two strong villagers grabbed a wooden brace each, a positioned them either side of the tripod. The hunters lifted the log and slotted it in it's place, held up by the braces, causing a lot of pain on my side. I was left for five minutes as the Felucians prepared for their grand meal. The villagers started to swarm round me and they started dancing. The Felucians broke away and put their arms together to make a sort of arch,another Felucian appeared and walked though the arch, he had the look of a killer about him. He wore red and black armour, with skulls and bones accessorising his shoulders. He reached into his backpack and revealed a long lower Jawbone, neatly sliced off it's prey, they kept the teeth on it, as a ridged end. The two Felucians who fitted the braces turned the log over, so I could now see the Felucian. He took stance and lowered his weapon, on it's smooth side, the one that didn't have teeth, onto my neck, he slowly pulled it across, so it skimmed across the surface of my skin. He now gripped the weapon with his free hand, and held it above his head, he roared, and lowered the blade on it's smooth side towards my neck, quickly. A few inches off his target the Felucian slowed the pace of his cut, and the Jawbone was raised again. It was lowered at quick pace, and slowed before it hits it's target again, he was just testing where his sword would land. He raised his weapon a third time, then quickly slammed it down, before it slowed upon contact, barely causing any harm. The Felucians had been roaring with adrenaline the whole way through and now the screaming picked up in pace, now the entire tribe was leaning in, egging the Executor onwards. The Felucian brought the sword down a last time.

Just before it hit my neck, a hissing vibrated around the area, then a mechanical whirring noise took it's place, then the whole village flashed as an explosion hit one of the tents, the place went into turmoil, and every villager looked at the victimised dwelling, including the Leader, including the Executor, and I took my chance, telekinetically relinquishing my weapon from the Leader's hand, whilst turning it on and making it cut my binds with telekinetic power as well. I fell off the log and didn't land on my back, but on my feet, although I stumbled a bit, my lightsaber flew into my hand. I wouldn't kill the Felucians, they were only hunting for food, and I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Executor engaged his prey (me!) in combat, slicing at my stomach, but I dodged each and every attack of his, casually removing a half of his weapon with mine, the Felucian helpless looked at his useless sword. I quickly then evacuated the scene, leaving the poor villagers wondering who did this to their precious home. I ran down the hill, but I stopped when I saw something familiar. An All Terrain Tactical Enforcer, an AT-TE unit, surrounding by a small band of Clones. I sped up, quickly closing in on the Republican Tank, the Clone Commander, which, in hindsight I recognised as Commander Bly, noticed me running at him.

'Wait, is that Master Windu?' He spoke hastily.

When I knew I was notice I reignited my blade.

'It is!' Bly screamed. 'Blast him!'

The AT-TE turned it's cannon to me, and it fired, a bulky blue bolt escaped from the cannon, headed towards me, I jumped over it, front-flipping over and over before landing on top of the tank my lightsaber already into the gunner's chest. I ripped my weapon out of the Clone's body, and the Clones on the ground raised their guns to fire, I easily rebounded every shot, most hitting their original firers. Only Bly was left standing, I jumped down, and he fired repetitively, I shrugged off every shot with my lightsaber, only one hitting the commander, in the shoulder. I picked him up with the Force, and slammed him into the Tank, into the small glass container at the front, in which a shocked Clone was nested, now both were unconscious, at the least. I summoned all the energy I had to drive my sword through both bodies. I walked away. But I couldn't help but notice danger was still around, I heard Fighter Engines, and looked up. Two Arc Fighter's passed over the mess, they must've seen the AT-TE, and my lightsaber. Headed away from the forest a few kilometres away. They turned back round, and both fired in my direction, I jumped out of the way, letting the lasers pass harmlessly away from me. The Fighters streamed off above the forest, before making a sharp turn, headed straight at me, or at least one of them did. The other was now suspended, and you could see a giant groping hand coming out of the trees and fixed onto the `Fighter's wing, the pilot pushed the Fighter's engine, pulling forth and revealing it's attacker, a Rancor. The Fighter tried to turn it's way out of the beast's grip. The Rancor shook the Fighter heavily, trying to pull it down along with gravity, but the Fighter tried to fire itself upwards. The Rancor got it's other hand on the other wing, forcing it downwards, the Rancor peered into the cockpit, seeing the Pilot inside, it roared, and shook the Fighter like it was a newborn's plaything. The Rancor tilted the Fighter onto it's side, then it released one hand and grabbed onto the nose of the ship, he bent it, and the bolts sealing the cockpit shut slid out of the it's sockets. The Rancor released it's other hand and grabbing the engine, which scorched it's hands, it roared in pain, then furiously pulling at then engine, then bending it, the beast bent both ends of the fighter so far then the Fighter snapped in half. The rear end of the ship was thrown onto the floor, with the front being squeezed, scrunched up into scrap metal, the Rancor pulled open the cockpit and released the Pilot from his seat and discarded the rest of the Fighter. The Rancor eyed it's next meal curiously, the Pilot pulled out a pistol from it's holster, and blasted the Rancor in the face, it didn't do much to the humongous monster, other than anger it. The Rancor roared in fury and quickly dropped the screaming Pilot in it's mouth. The other Fighter flew towards the Rancor, bad idea, but it fired at it consecutive times, weakening it, but not weak enough to not cause some damage to the ship, it leant out a hand and managed to scratch the fuel tank's casing, allowing the fuel to quickly fall to the floor. The Pilot mustn't have noticed his fuel gauge going down, because he came in for another run, firing again at the beast. Poking the Anuba with a stick. I thought to myself. The Rancor dropped to it's knees, roaring wearily in pain. The Fighter moved in again and hastily finished the job. The Pilot's attention had suddenly turned to me again, it flew over, firing some lasers and losing some fuel. This gave me an idea, I ran over to the steel plating on the AT-TE and tore it off with my hands, throwing it on the floor, I used the Force to summon a nearby stick, thick and large. I went back to the plating, slicing off a small piece with my lightsaber, a found a small piece of flint, brought up onto the ground by the impact of explosions. and I carried it over to the small piece of steel. I eyed the area and found a massive boulder, I needed a big rock or else my plan wouldn't work. I scraped the steel against the smooth flint and fire was made, I hurried to the large stick and lit it, holding it like a trophy in my hand. I had to do this quickly, as the Fighter was nearing again for it's ninth run. The Pilot still mustn't have noticed the fuel tank was leaking, as he would of veered off course, but it headed straight for me, action!

I picked up the large boulder with the force and slammed it into the ribcage of the Fighter, making a great amount of fuel trail down in one big line, each strand of fuel connected to another, perfect. I threw my torch into the air and guided it with the force to my target, I held the torch just under the waterfall of fuel (when I look back at it, it was more of a _fuelfall_ than a waterfall). The fuel landed perfectly on top of the flames, and it ignited, the thin trail spreading upwards, infecting every strand that touched another strand, leading a big fiery line straight up into the engines of the ship. Boom! Bits of the Arc Fighter flew in every direction, one engine went one way, the other went the other way, the tail of the ship spun off into the sky, blown outwards by the explosion right in the middle of the ship. I sighed and wiped the plentiful sweat off of my face, but was given a shock when the corpse of the pilot landed abruptly in front of me.

I looked around at the small battlefield, bits of destroyed Arc Fighter, two pieces of another Arc Fighter, one of those two pieces squeezed into scrap, an abandoned AT-TE, surrounded by dead Clones, and a Rancor's body, wonderful(!) I then began thinking what would happen to myself next, would I be driven into madness by loneliness? Would I be chased by my former companions until I die? Will I ever mange to get off this place? Will I ever get revenge?

I was driven out of my thought by an incoming ship, an LAAT Republic Gunship, they must've seen the wreckage, will I ever get rid of these guys? I asked myself. I decided to hide behind the AT-TE, but I heard wandering Clone voices, headed my way.

'What? You think a Rancor did all this? I Rancor couldn't have blown an Arc Fighter to pieces, from the inside as well, judging how everything is spaced out.' Clone One spoke.

'He could've grabbed hold of the Fighter, then tore the engines apart.' Clone Two argued.

The voices were coming round the corner, I quickly darted to the other side of the Tank, so they didn't see me.

'Ah. A Rancor could not have done this, those are Lightsaber cuts.' Clone One debated.

'You know what, Trench, for once, I agree with you.' Clone Two agreed.

'Hey Sarge!' Clone One called. 'You might want to see this!'

I heard the two Troopers entire platoon come to see their comrades' findings. I looked around, every Clone in the area was next to the Tank, which gave me another brilliant idea. I walked away from the Tank and picked up a small pebble, I threw it at the abdomen of the AT-TE.

'Sarge!' Called another Clone. 'There's banging, I think someone's inside!'

I sensed the Sergeant press his head up against the Tank, I picked up another pebble and chucked it at the tank.

'Boys!' Called the Sergeant. 'I think I'm hearing something! Press your ears against the tank, listen for it!'

I sensed all the Clones with their heads against the AT-TE's abdomen, I then used the Force to slowly tip the thing over, onto the Clones, who all yelped in terror. I made my way around the tank to discover a Clone poking out from the wreckage, only his upper body could be seen.

'Master Windu! Help! I thought you were dead!' The unfortunate Clone pleaded.

'Luckily for me, not so much for you.' I said, swiftly making my way towards the gunship. I forced open the cockpit and threw the pilot into the air, letting him plummet to the ground, I didn't care whether he lived the fall or not. I picked up the co-pilot and pulled him over to me, I stared at him for two seconds, before slamming him into the floor and casually leaving my lightsaber in his stomach. I later Forced my weapon towards me, just before I entered the cockpit. I strapped myself up and activated the engines, the gunship lifted off of the ground and headed out into the sky. I didn't know where I was going to go, and, to be frank, I didn't really care.


	10. Crime Lords Don't Pay

Halfway through Felucia's atmosphere, I realised something, the gunship. It was an LAAT (which stood for: Low Altitude Assault Transport) and it wouldn't mange a trek to another Planet, never mind another Star System! I reminded myself of the Consular Class Cruiser that attacked the group earlier. I flew up to low orbit, where I could see the Consular headed towards the Planet, I quickly made a beeline towards the hangar, without a plan, I sped up, headed to the opening that was expanding, once above the opening, I descended into the hangar passage, and flew into the far right hangar. The gunship landed subtly, so far so good. None of the Clones in the hanger has spotted me. Yet. I unbuckled myself from the Pilot's seat and thought about my next move, suddenly, I heard a knocking on the door of gunship.

'Hey! Open up! Inspection! Who's the driver of this thing!' It was more of a command than a question.

I took this as my cue to move. I pressed the ejection button, and the cockpit opened and I was slammed outwards by the gunship.

'What the?' The Inspector wondered, as I quickly decided my next move. I moved my body into a diving position, headed straight to a deactivated Arc Fighter on the other side of the hangar. It must've taken the Clones along time to adjust to this new development, as no blaster fire had approached me yet. I landed on the nose of the ship, quickly hoisting the cockpit open, I heard weapons firing at me, and quickly pulled out my own weapon to reflect the incoming bolts. I quickly buckled up and activated the reactors and engines. I frantically pressed all the buttons and pulled all the levers. The ship levitated and I was worriedly looking around, hoping no lasers would get a direct hit. They didn't. The Fighter pulled out of the hangar and shot out of the hangar. I flew straight forward, not knowing where I was going. A green flash zoomed past my fighter. I twisted round to find I was being pursued by a squadron of other Arc Fighter, I blocked the comm-link, as I was probably just going to hear millions of 'Turn back! Surrender now!' I didn't consider rotating three hundred and sixty degrees and fire at my attackers, as these were trained, maybe they were expecting that, I didn't want to risk it. I simply flew drastically, making sharp turns and doing barrel rolls just to lose my attackers. O, what I would've done for an asteroid field right then. I went for an outside loop, but cutting off three quarters through and turning over, pointing my trajectory in another direction. Now I gained a distance ahead of my pursuers. Nailed it! I then approached the Consular Cruiser once again, but this time I was ready, I slowed down and let the Arc Fighter catch up, then sped forward, above the hull of the ship. The guns on the cruiser fired but I flew in a unpredictable pattern, allowing none of them to actually hit me. The Arc Fighters still followed in single file, and I pulled backwards going under the trail as they whizzed past me, the cruiser's guns hadn't yet stopped firing, and their own Fighters bore the wrath of the guns. I glared as many Arc Fighters were fired at from their own allies, that would suffice as a small justice, but it was to small to put my lust for vengeance to sleep. The ones that weren't destroyed then they surely were as they smacked into the two bridges of the Consular, both were set alight by the impact. The Consular Cruiser began to dip downwards, floating through space, nearing Felucia. I breathed a sigh of relief, but another bolt flew past my ship, I looked backwards, one Arc Fighter had survived. I turned sharply as the Cruiser was pulled towards the Felucian forests. It was then I noticed the hyperspace rings, dormant in space. There was twelve rings waiting. I headed towards the nearest one, but before the ship docked, the ring was shot down. I quickly dodged the disabled ring, and came in for another run, but as I turned I noticed my pursuer had cut me off. The two Fighters headed straight for each other, we both fired, one of my shots hit the cockpit of his ship, and one of his hit one of my engines. The Pilot veered downwards, and I managed to lock into the ring, and I sped away from the System. The blue, black and white flashes came back, not for as long as last time though. The ring slowed down, and the ship unlocked from the ring, and I found myself in a System I hadn't really seen before. I looked around, searching for a suitable place to land, it was just unfortunate that the closest planet to me when the engine gave out wasn't that suitable at all. I was checking out this purple planet when the engine bust and the other planets were too far for me to reach with only one engine and the only option was the purple planet, I headed downwards, looking for a safe place to land, it was only when I broke through the thick miasma of clouds I realised I was on the planet Teth, I decided to land on top of a cliff, where I wouldn't find myself compressed and unable to see through the cluster of fog below. I exited my seat and fished through the small toolkit, I found a mask and a welder, and got to work on the engine. Was quite hungry as well, I hadn't eaten for a whole day, although that margin was quite cute compared to last time I was hungry. I looked around at the barren landscape, nothing to be seen at all apart from pale rock, I ventured forth. I was walking for hours, through the fog and the cliffs of Teth, when I saw something through the smoke. A building, it was atop a huge cliff, but, so I was I! I jumped onto the ridged cliff face and began to climb. It was quite a struggle, but when I managed, it was all worth it. I looked at the building, it resembled a monastery, the shape of it, and I remembered learning in the Jedi Archives that the B'omarr Monks lived in the planet, the B'omarr monks believe if they cut themselves off from any physical sensation to become "enlightened" which would improve their knowledge and let them discover and achieve things. I thought this was all rubbish though, as they cut out their brains, which still managed to think somehow, then discovered something,how would they be able to tell the world about it? And when the brain needed to travel, they would be placed inside a BT-16 perimeter droid, which was specially enabled to carry them. Disgusting! I approached the monastery, wondering whether any enlightened brains would be there to see me. i was a few yards away when the monastery door opened, and eight droids rolled out. Were these Droidekas? They were very similar, ray shielded, they rolled, and they had the same look about them, although these looked more hardened for battle, with several more cannons than you're usual Droidekas. Next, four Magna Guards walked out of the monastery, is this a small band of Separatist droids? Quite different compared to removed brains when you think about it. The next thing to exit the monastery was a human, a human I recognised, as well as his crest on his robes. Tyber Zann, founder of the Zann Consortium.

'Ah. What is a Jedi Knight doing this far out into the Outer Rim, you know the war is over?' Zann sneered.

'I almost thought that not to be true, judging by your collection.' I replied.

'You didn't answer my question. What are you doing out here.' Zann enquired.

'My ship broke down, what about you?' I asked.

'You know me, Jedi, I'm Tyber Zann, I'm searching.'

'For?' I asked.

'Loot. Riches, stuff to sell, possibly, could sell one of them brains as a slave, like a... um, personal thinker.' Zann smiled.

'Illegal slave trading is, well, illegal.' I confirmed.

'Oh! My Lord! I didn't know, thank you, Captain Obvious! Do you think I give a damn? I'm the most respected Crime Lord ever.' Zann boasted.

I slipped three words in between fake coughs. *cough* 'Jabba the Hutt. *cough*

Zann's face looked angry, and he was eager to change the subject. 'Are you looking for something, Jedi?'

'Food.'

'Food? I have lots of food! On my ship!'

'Can I have some?' I asked.

'Nah, don't feel generous today.' Zann shrugged.

I tried to move past towards his ship, but one of his Magna Guards stepped in the way, activating his Electrostaff. 'You would really want to reconsider.' I debated.

'Oh really?' Zann grinned. 'Kill him.' Commanding his droids to attack. The Magna Guard in front of me locked weapons with my blade, and threw me away, I landed on my back, flying a few yards. The Droideka Mark II squad started firing. I had to deflect most shots, others floating away, completely missing their target. The Droidekas kept me busy, having to twist my arms and hands to block each laser bolt. I eventually managed to Force Push the droids into the monastery wall, destroying them. I turned on Zann, 'Impressive,' he said. 'but I've killed Jedi before, I plan to add you to that list.' Zann reached to his belt, and pulled out two lightsabers, one blue, one green. 'Attack, Jedi.' I obliged, rushing in to fight Zann, surrounded by the Magna Guards. I calmly fought the Crime Lord, who had a lack of technique, lunging in when he shouldn't have, allowing me to knock the green blade out of his hand and kick it away, then snapping backwards and letting his Guards do the work. I slew two of the guards with ease, finding it tricky to fight the other two. Zann attacked again, with his Guards at his side. I eventually beheaded on guard and cut off it's hands, then stabbed the other in the would-be stomach. Zann lunged, taking me by surprise. Our weapons locked, Zann had the upper hand, before I turned the tables and pressed against the blue sword. My weapon slowly moved across his, nearing the blade, and his hand, my blade was on the edge of my opponents hilt, slightly scorching it. Suddenly, the blade disappeared, the hilt flew out of Zann's hand, and his hand flew off of his wrist. I rotated two hundred and seventy degrees, holding my lightsaber out in front of my, and it sliced through the neck of Tyber Zann, decapitated. I turned away from the mess and made my way towards his ship.


	11. Snakes and Slugs

He had food alright. His ship was full of it. I was now banqueting in Tyber Zann's ship, something I'd never thought I'd be doing. We fought for his ship, and I won, I beheaded him, so the ship was mine. Then I knew, now that I was left to survive on my own, I had to do anything to survive, survival of the fittest. After that most glorious meal ,starter, main course and dessert? I would've bitten your hand off for that offer a few days ago, but then I would've ate something then, so I'd feel slightly replenished, not that your hand would taste good. That would also be cannibalism, and that's the one thing I'll never do to survive. Actually... I would resort to that only if completely necessary. Why am I saying this? I felt slightly bloated as I made my way to the Pilot's seat. Zann's ship was one of those Carriers pirates normally use, and scrap traders, if they want to trade somewhere which isn't Raxus Prime's junkyard. The buttons were quite jumpy, which says a lot about how many times Zann used this ship, I got my way around the cluster of pushy-thingies, as I liked to call them. Don't worry, I didn't call my lightsaber a flashy-thingy. The ship pulled off without hesitation, so Tyber hadn't left it long, had he? The ship flew out into the cosmos, there was something pulling me though, something in the Force told me to go this way, a place that felt very well connected to the Force, I researched the area with the ships systems. The Sluis Sector? Never heard of it. Apparently it was only reachable by hyper lanes. Apparently it was home to the planets; Agora, Bpfassh, Dagobah, Denab, Kerest, Orto, Praesitlyn and Sluis Van. None of which I had ever heard of, I checked for the hyperdrive systems on the vessel, luckily there was some, but it was quite old and rusty, it was going to be a bumpy ride. The blue flash resumed again, flowing past with slivers of black and white tracing past. The ship shook violently as hyperspace zoomed past, it rattled like crazy, I guess the hyperdrive really wasn't in the best shape, was it? When it pulled out of hyperspace the ship lurched, throwing me forward, thankfully I had my seatbelt on, although it cut into my chest. I felt nauseous, but that's what bad hyperdrive does to you. I shook my head and glared out into space, literally! The ship floated for a while, and that massive banquet I had earlier came to bite. I headed out into ships toilets, and, let's just leave it at this, space sickness really takes a lot out of the recovery and I was back in the cockpit, I felt a pull towards a certain planet, it seems infested with the Force, it was a small murky green, with swishes of white cloud streaking across in certain places. I researched on this planet.

'Dagobah?' I thought aloud. 'Isn't that...' I was going to say something, but then I forgot as I was distracted by a lightning strike on the planet.

The carrier got closer to the planet. Research brought up more results. Apparently there was no intelligent life on the planet. The ship got even closer to the planet. I prepared the ship to land. It slowly descended through the thick clouds of Dagobah's atmosphere. A cluster of bogwings flew past the cockpit, barely able to identify through the fog. The ship docked in a small opening through the swamps and forests, I looked around, what was it that drew me to this place? It didn't have anything! I exited the vehicle and searched for anything that meant something. Nope, nothing, nought. Not anything. I delved deep into the swamps. I looked into a small lake, it seemed there was something in there, I took a step further to the edge, something stirred in the murky sludge that was Dagobah's waters. I leaned to look further into the swamp. A bubble ascended from the depths and popped. I heard a deep moaning sound, and place my hand over my lightsaber, but I settled. It didn't seem right. I leaned even further so now I was looking straight down into the sludge. A small disturbance rippled across the area I was looking into, and, directly below me, the water began to get darker. It got even darker and quickly got darker, and quickly even darker, and darker, and darker, until a giant monster exploded out of the surface, I reacted quickly and backflipped out of the way. My attacker was a dragonsnake, I once confronted a devolved version of these beasts on Nal Hutta. I drew my blade and swung my arm in a combative position. The dragonsnake lunged twice flexibly, and I dodged both attacks. Then leapt on top of it, it shook it's it's neck to throw me off and lunged towards me again in quick succession. It created a large gash on my stomach and I fell back in pain. The dragonsnake coiled back for a final strike, I realised the danger and jumped to my feet, one hand on my stomach and another holding my weapon, the dragonsnake got closer and I pulled back the blade, the striking it into the roof of it's mouth. The dragonsnake's eyes rolled backwards, as it's ropey body swayed around, I took cover as it's corpse splashed into the swampy sludge, spraying the stuff in all directions. I covered my face and a bit of the sludge hit my arm. I heard a jumpy noise, and saw something jump from tree to tree to get away from me, and the corpse.

'Ugh,' I said. 'Just a Nudj.'

I travelled on further into the marsh, and overhanging vines were either swept away by my arm, or sliced down by my lightsaber. I heard a hissing noise and looked around, I decided it was just my mind and headed onwards. I was travelling for ages and stumbled into a few bogwings nesting, they flew off in fright when I approached. I accidentally walked into a tree later on, rubbing my forehead, I heard the hissing noise again. I placed my hand firmly around my weapon, ready to draw if trouble comes. There was nothing, and my hand relaxed on my blade. And I carried on. I was several miles away from my ship when I heard it once more. A hiss. I looked around cautiously, when instinct told me to do what I did next. I swiftly grabbed my weapon, activated it and swung it over my head, this move generated something to fall from the vines. A Vine Snake, I believe it was descending from the ones to either bite me venomously or constrict me, as it does. More hisses could be heard, and I prepared myself for another attack. Some snakes dropped from the vines and began slithering towards me, other attempted to drop down onto my neck. I didn't have much trouble dispatching most of them, but one successfully landed on my head and slithered down my skull. I attempted to beat it off with my hands, but it kept moving, I felt it coil backwards to inflict a fatal injury, but I pushed it off and sliced it in half with my weapon. Another dropped to the floor, and began it's way towards me, it leapt with incredible height onto my chest, I quickly grabbed it off and held it to look at, it attempted to jump out, and snacked a small piece of skin off the bridge of my nose. I threw it to the floor in disgust and squashed it with my foot. After the ambush a group of omnivorous sleens began to devour the dead. I carried on, on my journey. I came across another marshland, there was something stirring in this lake too. Without warning, another dragonsnake crashed out of the water and glared at me, I was startled by the abruptness of this one, it's characteristics were to draw it's victims close to the end, but he just did the exact opposite. The dragonsnake submerged again, and reappeared grappling with a swamp slug, a beastly creature which was literally fifty times larger than your average slug. The slug gained an advantage over it's opposition, then devoured it whole. I quickly skipped the swamp and headed further into thick brambles. I approached a small cave. This felt mysterious, it had overhanging vines and sprawling fog, it felt filled by the Force, and, the Dark Side. I walked forward, ducking under the vines and into the fog...


	12. Premonitions or Hauntings

The fog surrounded me, I looked in every direction, nothing, I walked what I thought was forward, as I had no sense of direction at that moment. A few seconds later I knew which way WASN'T forward, as I walked straight into the cave wall. I stumbled backwards, and my foot went into a small pothole in the middle of the passage, I tried to get my foot out of the crater, but it wouldn't budge. I pushed the fog outwards, repulsing it outwards, and I could briefly see clearly. I took this opportunity to memorise which way was forward, then wrestled my foot out of the ground. I faced what I this time knew was forward, I activated my weapon as a torch and held it in front of me. I didn't notice a small slope, and the gravel gave way, and I slipped, landing on my knees.

I kept walking, through the vines and fog that were in my way. And I felt my foot land in a shallow pool of water. I looked down at the water, then looked ahead, there was a dead end, but there seemed to be an exit through under the water. As I was a Jedi, or, as I USED to be a Jedi, I always had an Aquata Breather on my person. I walked further into the water, and it gradually got deeper. I waited until it had reached my stomach until I dived in. Unlike the water on the surface you could see through it, and I swam towards a small hole that would be big enough for a small dragonsnake to fit through, in other words, I could fit through easily! I breaststroked down to the opening, then slipped through I floated under the surface of the water, looking around for anything that could've brought me here. Without warning, a green marine monster burst through the hazy murky swamp green water and gripped me with it's teeth and dragged me into the endless green. I struggled, but the monster's grip wouldn't budge. I struggled more, until I knew I was dead. I closed my eyes...

I opened them, and I was sprawled outwards, in the same position I was when I "died." But the monster was gone, and no marks could be seen. It was an illusion, cast by this dark place. Then I remembered something in the Jedi Archives, about the Cave of Evil, I'd bet my life this was it. I ascended to the surface, but this was totally different, I was on a planet, a planet completely filled by water, constant rainfall and towering cities, I knew this planet, but could not place my finger on it. In the distance, a republic cruiser smashed into one of the big buildings, but this cruiser wasn't like your natural republic cruiser, instead of being red with a grey stripe, this was completely grey, and had one bridge instead of two. The crash sent debris and shrapnel in every direction, and one particular big piece of debris hit me on the top of my head, and I was sent downwards, surely I'd died...

No, I was still alive, no debris, no fractured skull, no brain damage, in fact, no damage at all! Just another illusion. I was back in the water, my neck hunched down by impact of the 'debris.' I brought my head above the surface of the water to see what the cave had for me next.

Everything went white the minute my eyes ascended the surface, and a high-pitched whining in my ears, my head began to hurt so much I screamed out in pain. No one could hear. The ringing faded, and the white snapped into nothingness, and I felt my body fall onto a hard surface, I opened my eyes and found myself looking down a endless red passage way, in the shape of a hexagonal prism, without an end, of course. The pain hadn't cascaded, though. I tried, to get up to my feet, but then the ringing resumed, and my legs gave way. The ringing got louder, and the pain got more violent, I screamed in agony. It was even more painful than Sidious' Force Lightning, if that was even possible. I slammed my fist against the metal flooring several times to distract myself from the compelling pain. The pain got even more intense and subconsciously my body writhed around like a fish out of water. But then, the pain slowly subsided, and I was left numb by it all. I rubbed my head, and rolled over onto my stomach, I slowly raised my knees to rest on them, I pressed my palm into the floor, and straightened my elbows for further support. I prepared to get up to stand, but I stopped halfway, I heard a noise, a recurring, rasping noise. It sounded horrible, it sounded intimidating, and it was getting louder. It was getting closer. I wearily shook my head, nope, the noise was still there. It got even closer, and I weakly and slowly turned my head. Headed towards me was a silhouetted figure, it was wearing pitch black robes, or maybe they weren't robes, I couldn't tell. The approaching silhouette pulled something from it's robes, a grey thing, it made a noise, and a bright red laser propelled out of it. The figure swung his blade at me, and I could here the sound of it piercing my body as the whiteness returned, coupled with the intense ringing, and the violent pain...

I snapped out of the illusion, the ringing died away, as did the intense headache, my vision began to un-blurr, of course it was just an illusion, but unlike the others, it felt so real. I shook my head to clear my sluggish mind and rose to the water surface. Thankfully, there were no strange illusions this time, and I could see the ground, I swam over to it and leapt up onto it. I felt so glad to be out of the water, and unequipped my Aquata Breather and rubbed my face, swiping clinging water droplets off my eyes brows and the tip of my nose. I walked forwards, approaching some sort of archway, leading to a cave. Caves inside of a cave? Boy, that day was weird. I carried on through the archway, and looking around the mini-cave, there didn't seem to be much special about this place, except for the rest of Dagobah, this place was lifeless, except for me, but, I wasn't a permanent resident of this place, well, I might've been had my ship broken down, but- I'll move on, sorry. I turned a corner to see a passage, leading to a big green crystal. I went over to this crystal, I was about two meters away, when something occurred in the crystal. It turned from opaque, to transparent, but I was wrong, it was a mirror, sort of. In the crystal, a figure walked into the frame, it turned to glare at me, it was at this moment I realised, it WAS me. It looked exactly the same, same robes, still bald, everything! Almost. This figure had different eyes, it had fiery eyes, a yellowy-orangey sort of colour. The almost-replica smiled at me, a malevolent smile, so slight yet so blatant. The setting in the crystal changed, it changed to a village, I recognised this village, it was a village on Ryloth, there were a family of Twi'leks huddled together, afraid. They were glaring in fear at my opposite, which turned towards them. My eyes swelled as I knew what would happen next. The evil me ignited his weapon and headed towards the poor family. The Sith pulled back his lightsaber, and I shielded my eyes with my arm, I could't bare to watch as the blade came down on the innocent civilians. I turned away, to see a cluster of vines blocking another way through the cave, I went for my weapon, but the vines calmly untangled themselves and I walked through. I entered a passage full of the crystals, all of them constantly playing and replaying scenes that I couldn't watch. A Sith version of me, never! I ran into the exit, and found myself looking straight at a vine ladder. I climbed this strange occurrence and walked along another straight. The exit was blocked by another thick cluster of vines, which, like the previous, untangled themselves. I walked straight through to find myself exactly where I wanted to be. The cave mouth. I sighed in joy and stumbled out of it, past the bogs and miasmas of Dagobah, I was undisturbed by any residential creatures, I must've made a name for myself. Before long I was back at Tyber Zann's (which is now mine) ship, I staggered into the cockpit and gladly left the strange planet.


	13. Welcome to Florrum

The ship escaped the sector, and I marvelled at the tricks of the cave I had visited. I didn't know where to go next, or how to plan my future, but only one rule, keep moving. I rubbed my eyes and blinked several times as I still didn't feel ship shape. The events of recent kept replaying inside my head, the crashing Consular, the green monster, the red tunnel and the silhouette. And the crystals, their secrets, Ryloth, the village, the family of Twi'leks, and, in the crystal, I killed them. At this thought I shook my head, no. I tried not recall the hall of crystals, each one with their own twisted scene of a Sith Mace Windu. My head swirled around and collapsed backwards, I was out for the count.

The dreams didn't bring me much salvation, as the constant scene that replayed was the huddling Twi'lek family, and the approaching Sith Lord. I wanted something else, to be something else, but I didn't know whether the crystals showed the future, or a twisted could-be future. I was snapped out of the torturous sleep. I looked around to see what the cause of this was, the answer was outside, a massive ship was docking with mine, I quickly scrambled to find my location, the Sertar Sector. Oh no, just my luck! The ship rattled violently as the vessel was boarded. A few moments later I could hear voices.

'Tyber Zann's mark was on the outside of the ship, I'm sure Hondo will be very pleased.' said one pirate.

'Well, is he headed for loot, or coming back from looting?' came another pirate.

'That doesn't explain why he didn't flee, or fight back.' debated a third pirate.

'Oh yeah, maybe he's asleep?' said pirate one. 'You two check the cockpit to make sure. Me and Shahan will search the rest of the ship.'

'Good idea.' said pirate three.

Now I could hear footsteps approaching, getting louder and louder, until I heard a voice.

'The door's locked!' Pirate two exclaimed. I then heard blaster fire, and the doors swung open, I turned limp and pretended to be asleep. 'Yeah, he's out, but I don't think this is Zann.'

'Just kill him.' said pirate three.

The pirate readied his gun, my hand perched on my lightsaber. The blaster fired, and I twisted round, activated the blade and deflected the shop all in time. The pirate looked startled, and fired his weapon again, which bounced back off my blade straight into his stomach. The pirate dropped to the floor, revealing his accomplice who was hiding behind him, who quickly fired a stun shot at me before I could react. And I guess I was out for the count. Again. Although I didn't have to go through the events on Dagobah this time.

I woke up in a prison cell, on the floor, I called to a sentry who was guarding the cell. 'Hey! I didn't do anything to you guys, let me go!'

The guard looked into the cell, then turned back and nodded. Then the cell door flashed open and through it walked a Weequay captain with dark green glasses, a red and grey cloak and several braids. 'Aha, a Jedi?' The Weequay asked. I nodded. 'Good, good. You haven't been killed by your clone troopers yet?' He asked. I shook my head. 'Not to talkative, are you?' I gave him a look, the I'm-not-talking-to-you-because-you-captured-me-as-your-hostage-and-jailed-me-in-this-boring-cell look. Then the Weequay crouched down next to me and whispered in my ears. 'You know this new Emperor is paying one billion credits for a Jedi.' He then stood up and introduced himself. 'I'm Hondo Ohnaka, and welcome to Florrum!' He proudly walked out the cell, and the guard closed the door. I guess I was stuck on this planet, with nowhere to go...

Over the coming weeks I was fed well by the pirates and hadn't seen Hondo around at all, occasionally the guard would open the door and warn me not to try anything, but by the umpteenth time I just rolled my eyes, I didn't have my weapon, to be frank, I didn't even know where it was! So there was no physical way to escape. One particular day I was met by a visitor, and it was Hondo.

'Hello, my friend, good news! Well, good news for me, not so much for you, ha! Me and your friend Darth Vader, that's what he called himself, arranged a price for you, because you were one of the heads of the Jedi council, they've decided to octuple the price, yes, octuple it, that would be eight billion credits! Tell me my friend, how have you become so popular, if I was captured I'd like to see my men offer that kind of money for ransom to free me, not really, that would ruin my business. They're coming tomorrow.' I sighed, wait, Darth Vader? I didn't know anyone named Darth Vader. Unless it was Skywalker, now a Sith, no doubt. I scratched my head as Hondo left the cell. How could I escape? Was I going to be collected and killed by this mysterious Sith? Hopefully not, I decided to sleep on it, maybe the answer comes tomorrow, my head hit the concrete floor, and I closed my eyes...

Back came the nightmares, of Dagobah and the crystals, I spoke aloud, no, no, no! As for the umpteenth time, Mace Windu went over and mercilessly slaughtered an innocent family of Twi'leks. I gasped and I woke up in the middle of the night, I walked over to my cell door and looked out of the bars, a guard was slumped against the block exit, his blaster lay next to him, abandoned. This gave me an idea. I held up my hand and used the Force to gently and subtly picked it up, I sensed where one of the cell doors were, I aimed it towards the control pad, I fired it. I heard the door clang open, the guard sprung awake, but could not find his weapon, the resident of the cell that I shot ran out of it, it was a agilely roundhouse kicked his captor in the face, grabbed the floating gun, and fired thrice at the weary Weequay. The Calamari twisted round and spotted me.

'Jedi?' The Calamari spoke with a gruff, low voice, he ran over to my cell and unlocked the door. 'Thank you!'

'Well,' I said. 'Thank YOU.'

'What for?'

'Unlocking the cell!'

'Oh, right! I'm Gial Ackbar.' The Calamari introduced himself.

'I'm Jedi Master Mace Windu, well I used to be a Jedi Master, but not now.' I introduced myself.

'I used to be Captain in charge of the Mon Calamari guard. I served in the second battle of Mon Cala.'

I was about to reply, but I heard a commotion outside, so I pushed Ackbar back in his cell and jumped upwards, latching onto the ceiling. I used the Force to pull Ackbar's cell door shut. Two Weequay pirates with bandanas ran into the block.

'He's dead!' said one, pointing to the guard's corpse.

'Thanks Captain Obvious!' said the other.

Weequay one turned to the prisoners. 'Did you scoundrels see anything?'

Ackbar replied. 'No.'

'No, sir.' Weequay two corrected him.

'You scumbags tell me right now or else I'll blow your heads off and rip out your tongues!' Weequay one demanded, brandishing his weapon.

I took this moment to strike, I dropped down from the roof on top of Weequay two, he nor his comrade knew what happened at first, but then they got the gist of it.

'Shoot him, shoot him!' The victimised pirate shrieked. The other looked stunned.

'You're moving to fast!' He screamed.

Weequay two stood still, facing his back against his friend, leaving me open to be killed.

'FIRE!' He ordered.

Quickly, I pinched the base of Weequay two's neck, causing him to twist round and facing his comrade, who, with slow reactions, still fired. His shot hit his pal in the chest, causing him to fly backwards, while I jumped off of the body before it had even hit the floor, I stood in a combative stance against the pirate, who dropped his gun in an act mixed with clumsiness, shock and fear. The pirate hesitantly picked up his rifle, and he aimed. Gial Ackbar then opened the cell door and smacked the pirate round the back of the head, causing him to slump, unconsciously to the floor. Akbar crouched down and picked up the rifle, which was shaped like a musket. I quickly headed for the exit, Ackbar trailing, which led into corridors which led into forks which led into junctions, it was like a maze, Hondo must have been really good at what he did. Me and the Calamari sticked to the shadows, and watched pirates in their groups and pairs conversing about their life outside Florrum.

'So then she said to me-' said one, the rest was blocked out by a louder voice.

'...then it turns out he had no credits!' Spoke a pirate who was reasonably closer talking in a huddle with several others, who burst into laughter after his speech.

'Here about that prisoner?' This particular voice gripped my attention, I moved closer to the source, which was one peculiarly shifty-looking specimen, talking to his buddy at a table, who, like me, was listening intently.

'Who, the Jedi?' replied he.

'Yeah, the Jedi, Hondo's let slip that this new Emperor is willing to pay eight billion credits for him, alive. His right-hand man is coming for the Jedi tomorrow, so make up your, mind, are you in or not?' The shifty pirate spoke. 'In fact, let's move somewhere more private, we don't want anyone who is more loyal to Hondo than us overhearing this.' I wasn't that loyal to Hondo Onhaka at all, so I guess I could still listen to this intriguing conversation.

The two moved to a broom cupboard, where they continued the conversation, still sticking to the shadows, I signalled to Ackbar to come, then we headed to the cupboard, I pressed my ear to the door.

'So, here's the deal, we're moving in soon, we're going to take the Jedi to a rendezvous point, where a few friends will escort us to Coruscant, where we can hand him over personally with this... Emperor.'

'What about Hondo?' asked the enquired pirate.

'I've got it planned out, when this right hand finds the Jedi isn't there, his army will blow this place to smithereens, and, in foresight, the Emperor may even raise the price of the bounty, we just need to make it swift, and stealthily, so, now I've told you, are you in or not?'

The Weequay still had a few questions. 'Who else is there on this job?'

'Remember Vowsq and Jemer?' The shifty one asked.

'Yeah, the ones who quit.'

'Yeah, well, they'll be there at the rendezvous with a inconspicuous carrier ship, and bring us to Nar Shaddaa, where we'll wait five days for information on our success, them off to Coruscant!' He finished.

'Us?'

'You are coming?'

'Of course!'

'Shush! We move out now, you provide back up if anything goes wrong, we all get a quarter of the cut, deal?'

'Deal.'

'Let's go!' The mastermind concluded.

I moved Ackbar back into hiding and tracked back myself into the shadows as the two cautiously made their way to the prison block. Oh no, they were going to find two empty cells, one dead and one unconscious body, then they'll alert the rest. We needed to move quickly. I found a vent cover and notified Gial, who nodded. He slowly moved the cover and began crawling through the vents, I went through after, looking back for danger, finding none, I quietly replaced the vent cover.

We were about five meters through the vent when I heard a howl.

'THE PRISONER HAS ESCAPED! THE JEDI HAS ESCAPED!' Me and Ackbar began to move a lot quicker, as an alarm signalled the complex of our escape.

The end of the vent passage led to outside, where we revelled to get to. Ackbar moved backwards slightly, before moving forward at pace enough to barge the vent cover down. He crawled out into the twilight darkness, and I closely followed. We walked for a long time until we found and made our way into a small crater in the ground, but beforehand I made sure this geyser wan't active. Me and Ackbar sat in a small ridge in the wall of the geyser, we decided we'd stop here, then wait until noon tomorrow to escape. We arranged day and night shifts so we weren't found, and if we were, we'd at least be able to react. I was to take shift 1:AM-2:AM (I'll just say that shift was dull.), Ackbar took 2:AM-3:AM and so on. It was on Ackbar's second shift (4:AM-5:AM) that the action happened.

I was taking my turn to rest while Ackbar had the rifle he stole when we were found. Gial Ackbar shouted the alert when two Starhawk speeder bikes pulled up near our spot of hiding, I quickly woke up and climbed up onto the surface, where the shady pirate and his accomplice were admiring their luck.

'Guess who we got here?' The shady mastermind teased. 'What a coincidence you decided to hide at our rendezvous point. Ha ha ha!' The mastermind revealed two pistols from his belt and pointed them at me and Ackbar. 'And our friends are gonna show up in... five minutes.' His friend branded his carbine at me.

We glared at each other for what seemed like hours, before I pulled one of the shady pirate's pistols out of his hand towards me. I caught it and pulled back ,my arm as it's owner fired a laser bolt after it. I twirled to dodge it, ducking and weaving past the snaking bolt. I spotted a rock I could take cover behind, and as I ran towards it I could feel Florrum's earth skipping at my heals as shady pirate blasted at my feet, not intending to kill his prize. I made it to the rock, where I could see Ackbar cross firing shady pirate's friend. Shady pirate fired thrice at the ground near the rock. I returned my helping of lasers at shady pirate, who slipped over while trying to dodge them. I looked across to my Calamari friend, who was doing quite well, until he was hit in the shoulder with a blaster bolt, he fell like a tower with his rifle spiralling away from him. I could only watch as his attacker approached him, gun held at the ready.

I dropped my weapon, jumped high in air towards my fallen friend and his attacker. As shady pirate's friend pulled the trigger, I pushed the gun away, causing him to stagger backwards. He glared at me and readied his gun. I pushed it one way and the bolt went into the sky, as he fired I did it again only in the opposite direction. As he began his next shot I pushed his gun out of his hands and away from him, far, away. The pirate growled and lunged at me, I ducked under his flailing body and struck with my elbow on his back, causing him to crash to the ground, where Ackbar decided to even out the score on the ground. As they were scuffling I turned to the shady pirate, who had regained his second blaster. I began to run at him. He fired. I dodged. He fired. I dodged. I got closer. His firing became frantic. I got closer. He fired. Again, and again. I dodged them all. I got close enough to uppercut him, sending him flying backwards, his weapons had gone. Shady pirate got back up again, he went to punch me, but I danced away, then struck both elbows into his back, and he fell spreadeagled onto the floor. I stood above shady pirate, he looked up at me and looked down again, I thought he'd given up, until his leg swept across the ground, flinging my feet into the air, and I fell to the ground. We both got up, I swung my left, he ducked under the blow and locked my floating arm in place with his, then moving behind me, causing my shoulder to sear with pain. I raised my elbow and smashed it into his face, he remained unnerved, I repeated the motion, the product the same, I repeated several times, until I felt his head go back slightly, and his grip loosen. I took this opportunity to swing round and smack shady pirate in the face, and his back fell back onto the ground. Shady pirate flipped onto his stomach and crawled away, headed for his blaster, I caught up with him, before he imprinted his footprint into my shin, and I fell. I looked up as shady pirate got closer to his weapon, and he placed one hand on it when a boot landed on the gun. Shady pirate looked up to see Gial Ackbar pointing a rifle at his face. He fired. As our enemies lay limp in the dirt, Ackbar helped my up onto my feet. We trudged back into our hiding place, waiting for the sun to rise. We rested.

That night wasn't torturous like every single night since Dagobah. It was just blank, nothing. I woke up to meet a blinding sun in my face. I stretched my aching bones and tiredly climbed up to the top, where I looked around. There wasn't anything of interest I could see, until I heard a deafening whirr, I looked around for answers, and that it was, as blatant as ever. A Consular Class (Or later to be named, Star Destroyers.) hovered down to the ground. Skywalker was here.

Here to finish the job.


	14. Medical Emergency

I stared at the Star Destroyer as it descended the atmosphere ,the dirt from the ground around it was being twirled upwards from the roar and the manipulation of the engines, I could see hundreds of pirates scatter to their speeders, searching in groups for me and Ackbar, and they needed to search fast. I heard and felt a faint rumbling from behind me, I looked around curiously, Ackbar was still asleep, so what was it. The geyser I thought was inactive spouted a warm puff of steam. The faint rumbling became... un-faint, and slowly got louder. It didn't take me long to notice that I'd made a mistake.

This geyser was still active.

And Gial Ackbar was still in it.

I only watched, jaw-dropped, transfixed upon the dirt, glaring at this torrent swirling up inside the geyser, ready to scorch anyone who was unlucky enough to be in it's radius at the time. I was hoisted out of my day-dreaming by Ackbar's pleas from inside the centre of this problem.

'HELP! MASTER WINDU! MASTER WINDU ARE YOU THERE? HELP!' He screamed in terror, as I'm sure the spouts from the geyser woke him up, and, like me, it didn't take him long to figure out what was happening.

The rumbling got louder, and even more intense, the ripples underneath the ground tickling the bottom of my feet very slightly.

I tried to move, but my feet had sunk into Florrum's dirt. I struggled to get out, but they only sunk deeper, now they were encased in mud, it must've been raining heavily the night before, because Florrum's surface was usually extremely dry. I struggled even more, and I sank even more. I repulsed the clingy mud away with the Force, causing it to fly in every direction, splatting my face. I shook my head and wiped my eyes, then ran over to the edge of the geyser, which was rumbling as hard as an earthquake. I saw the Calamari face poke out from the opening. I swung my arm over the edge, and held out my hand, which was gladly taken. I tried to pull Ackbar up, but he was too heavy, I reached with my other arm, and that was taken to. I hoisted Ackbar up, it was a struggle, but eventually Ackbar's hand grasped the edge of the crater. I pulled away, still nervous as the violence of the rumbling continued to rise. Ackbar's head appeared over the edge, and I breathed a sigh of relief, and the geyser sighed as well, the rumbling halted. Me and Ackbar stopped and looked at each other, he'd paused his attempt to get up.

That was his mistake.

The geyser exploded, firing out burning clusters of water, Ackbar was carried up by the strength of the explosion, and he was flailing in the air, screaming. He went so high up he was surely going to die from the fall, thinking this, before he hit the ground I grabbed him with the Force, and let him gently flop to the ground.

He was in pain.

Terrible pain.

Boils and scorches and scalds could be seen withering his body, Ackbar screamed in pain, and couldn't put pressure on the burns either because his hands were scorched as well.

'I thought you were used to water.' I tried to lighten the mood while I rushed over to him. Ackbar gave me a look that said _Wow, really? _'Sorry, bad joke.' I said as I placed my hands underneath his coiling body.

'Argh!' He screamed, and writhed out of my grip, rolling across the barren Florrum landscape.

I noticed in the corner of my eye the two abandoned speeder bikes that were left last night by the pirates. I sprinted over to them and hopped on. I placed Ackbar in the passenger seat with the Force. I ignited the engines then sped off towards the only place I could go.

Back to the Pirates' hut.

I hadn't been on a speeder in ages, so this felt quite strange, although I knew how to pilot it. Ackbar moaned behind me, this was my cue to speed up. I knew I had to manage the impossible task of breaching the hut, helping Ackbar and getting out all undetected. I hoped that the hut security would be spread thin because´of the numerous search parties looking for us. Not long later the speeder bike pulled round the round the back of the hut, thankfully there were no guards there. I hopped off and carried Ackbar off the speeder with the Force, I gently placed him on a pile of crates and left to find medical equipment. I came across that recreational hall again, but this time, instead of drunk, laughing pirates; I saw stern-faced, brusque pirates. I took to the shadows like last time. I could hear their conversations as well, like last time, but now it was quiet, so none were interrupted.

'... it's just fortunate that their new "Stormtroopers" are building their strength, gives us a slight bit more time to find that Jedi...' said one pirate

'They're gonna come over here and kill us all if we don't find that Jedi.' said another.

I passed the hall and went into the medical rooms. I searched for supplies. There were bandages and medkits, not many though, but nothing to soothe burns. Maybe it was just that Hondo didn't pay much attention to the healthcare of his men, I uncovered this soothing lotion underneath dozens of forgotten equipment, like dodgy blasters, worn out engines, etc. I picked up the lotion and headed back to where I last saw Ackbar. The pirates looked even more tense than before when I passed them. I was guessing that the Clones, or "Stormtroopers" were busy in the Mess Hall in the Cruiser.

I went back to Ackbar, I could see he was still in a lot of pain. I gave him the lotion, and looked for a way to leave Florrum unnoticed. There was always the hangar, but then there was probably a group of ARC Fighters or whatever this new Emperor named his star fighters lurking up there. I couldn't think of anything else, it was the only way. I turned back to Ackbar, remarkably, the lotion worked, worked really good, Ackbar was already on his feet.

'Thanks.' He said.

'It was the least I could do.' I replied.

Ackbar nodded and ran into the hut recklessly. I was about to say something but he was gone, so I followed him. We arrived at the recreational hall. But now there were hoarse shouts and cries.

'They're coming!' shouted one pirate.

'We're all gonna die!' cried another.

'We go out with a fight!' screamed another.

'Run! Everyone, scatter!' called one more.

'What do we do?' Pleaded another.

I caught up with Ackbar, we scampered along the shadows. The Sith Lord and his army were coming. And we were still here. We came to a small junction in the complex, one way to the hangar, the second to the front entrance/exit, the third to the gym, and the fourth to the cell block, where I'd been before. Ackbar still didn't know my plan, and went fleeing towards the entrance/exit. I gripped him with the force, and brought him into the shadows, but because he seemed so interested in the entrance/exit, I went down there with him. There were dozens of pirates there, including Hondo, all with blasters holstered, with their hands twitching over them, as they could see, as did I, hundreds of "Stormtroopers" headed towards the hut, with Skywalker as their leader, their formation the same when they raided the Jedi Temple. Wait, that didn't look like Skywalker at all, their leader was wearing completely black armour, with a black helmet, that wasn't Skywalker, was it? The army came closer, until they stopped a mile away, and the armoured leader strode the rest of the distance. He stopped in front of Hondo.

'Welcome, er, Lord... Vader?' Honda turned back to his brethren and whispered. 'That is the right name, isn't it?' He then turned back to the leader. 'Welcome to Florrum! Yes, welcome!' Honda seemed very nervous, and this Vader person was no fool.

'Where's Windu?' Vader ordered.

'Er...' Hondo stuttered. 'He isn't here, yes, he isn't here.'

'Lies!' Vader claimed, gripping Hondo with Force Choke. 'He is here, I can sense his presence!'

_Right here, pal._

'No!' Honda pleaded through gasps. 'He- isn't- here. I promise you, he- isn't!'

'Do not lie to me again, slime!' Vader demanded. 'He is here, take me to him at once!'

_Only have to walk a few yards and you'll be breathing down my neck._

'He isn't! He broke out- last- night!' Hondo choked.

'He did not! He is here, I am perfectly capable with the Force and I can sense him!' Vader tightened his grip.

_If you were really that good with the Force you'd know I'm right here._

'I'm an honest- businessman! I've never lied before- in my life!' Hondo lied.

'There's a lie there!' Vader stated. 'I know you, Hondo, I fought against on Felucia!'

'Felucia?' Hondo's brow furrowed, then his eyes widened in realisation. 'Skywalker?'

Vader pursued the answer he craved. 'Where is he!'

'I don't know!' Honda pleaded.

Vader slowly began to clench his fist, and it came to a point where any further and Hondo was dead.

A brave pirate held out his blaster and shot Vader's hand, Vader coiled back and Hondo dropped to the floor, gasping for breath.

Vader ignited his red blade as the rest of the pirates fired. Vader deflected them all, headed backwards as the Stromtroopers took control. And the two sides fired at each other, and the battle began.


	15. Crossfire

The crossfire of blaster bolts was too dangerous to even poke your hand into. I looked up and saw eight black dots in the sky. These dots quickly got bigger. They produced a mechanic screeching noise that could be heard from miles away.

The hellish silhouettes

I could see terrified pirates around every corner, sure enough, they had battled against proper military war machines like General Grievous' Droid Army, but the Confederacy did have the entire might of the galaxy at their disposal. I was looking for a ship, but I felt I had forgotten something…

Ackbar!

I rushed back to the entrance, which was swamped by the many corpses of pirates gunned down. Hondo was still alive, standing proudly with his gun aloft, he was screaming at the top of his voice.

'IMPERIAL SCUM! LEAVE THIS PLANET AT ONCE!'

His screams were cut off by another screeching noise, it sounded like back at Jedi Youngling Academy when Master Sinube scratched the blackboard with his chalk, only ten times worse. Everyone looked up, the dots in the sky had resumed, this time there were only three.

The dots approached a to lot quicker this time, and once the silhouette had taken it's shape, you could see the three ships were extremely similar to the bombers, they had two wings on either side, but there was only one compartment instead of two, and had small chambers connecting the parts together. I guessed it had been a lot lighter to make it quicker and more nimble. The fighter began to fire it's two standard cannons, causing thick green beams to scorch the ground below. The fighter began firing at the first few feet leading up the hut, and when the area was in range, it was being crippled by the amount of military power they were up against. Hondo looked around for support, and saw his last guard fall to the ground. He glanced at his collapsing empire, and ran away.

I remembered what I came back for, and searched the surrounding area for the elusive Mon Calamari. My search took me into a small room filled all sorts of junk: hats, gloves, glasses, smashed up armour, small statues of hands and heads, wrist blades and-

'My lightsaber!' I thought aloud.

There it was, the elegant weapon I had used for decades, I picked it up with both hands and twirled it in my fingers. Now I was ready, I could take the fight to Vader.

I walked out of the room, and began to make my way to the entrance, and in hindsight maybe I was a bit too overconfident. My first foot out of the room was met by a shrill sheik, and moments later, hell had ascended to the ground.

It felt like all gravity had just disappeared at that moment. I was swept off my feet as a horrible noise occurred, and it was partnered with violent shades of red, orange, yellow and a bit of black swirling round and round, instantly killing anyone who was in the centre of the explosion, and sparing only a few who weren't that close. It felt like I was flying but I had no control, as I was forced straight back into the room, and my head clashed against shelves and shelves worth of junk, then gravity came back, and I flopped to the floor.

When I woke I had the feeling I'd been sucker punched, my eyelids felt way too heavy to carry. I just wanted to be back in my office at the Jedi Temple, not in the middle of some unimportant squabble between the galactic military and a bunch of stupid pirates. My bones ached everywhere, I just wanted to go, but my frame wouldn't let me. I laid there for five minutes, and then getting up had been considerably easier when I tried. Finally on my feet, I staggered this way and that, then decided to plant my feet onto the ground like they had magnets on them. I stretched my back, my arms and my neck.I felt a lot better now, so I walked outside and then that feeling got a whole load worse.

Three stormtroopers decided to stop and recognise who I was, then run over to me and surround me.

'Hands up, Jedi!' one of them said, this one in particular had an orange velvety thing on his shoulder. All three had their guns aiming at me. 'We're taking you to Lord Vader, and we can leave this vile planet!' Velvet (as I had now called the one who spoke before) said.

I laughed, causing the stormtroopers to look around questioningly. 'You can come out now.' I smiled, causing the stormtroopers further confusion. 'I know you're here.' The stormtrooper blocking my right rubbed his helmet in question. 'Well, one of you is the spy!' I grinned. 'Take out the other two, quickly!' All three stormtrooper looked at each other.

'What?' The one on my left whispered.

'I think one of us is a spy?' The one the right wondered.

All three of them looked at themselves, Velvet raised his gun and looked around, before aiming it at the trooper on my left, who aimed back at him, the trooper on my right aimed at the trooper on my left. The trooper on my left took a glance in the trooper on my right's direction, then aimed at him. Velvet followed the trooper on my left's gaze, and traced it to the trooper on my right, then aiming it at him. The trooper on my right now had both guns on him, he aimed at the trooper on my left, then at Velvet, then back at the trooper on my left. The trooper on my right looked at the other two troops, before dropping his weapon and putting his hands in the air.

'It's not me.' He mumbled, shaking his head ever so slightly. 'It's not me. It's not me it's him!' He pointed to Velvet, and then the trooper on my left aimed at Velvet, and the trooper on my right picked up his weapon and aimed at him too.

'Eh?' Velvet questioned. 'It's not me! It's him!' Velvet aimed at the trooper on my left, and so did the trooper on my right.

'What?' The trooper on my left screamed, dropping his weapon on the floor, and throwing his hands in the air.

I took this moment to slip away unnoticed, and I hid behind the box. The two with their weapons aimed at each other, before simultaneously dropping their guns. The other trooper lowered his arms.

'Does that mean… that none of us is a spy?' Velvet enquired. 'Wait. Where's-' All three spun round and scanned the room. 'Lads, I think he went down there.' Velvet wondered before leading his brothers away from me. I slipped into the hangar, where I saw four stormtroopers closing with three pirates.

And Ackbar.

I lit my blade, and the noise it made alerted the stormtroopers; they began to start firing at me. I deflected each bolt, sending them in every direction, one came back straight to it's original firer. I sliced at the other two stormtroopers, one in the horizontally across middle and the other diagonally across the torso. I picked up the last remaining trooper with the Force and threw him against the wall, where he got knocked out. I looked at Ackbar and behind towards the ship in the hangar and behind that to the hangar doors.

'Master Windu! You're alive!' Ackbar smiled, greeting me. We shook hands then looked out at the ship. 'Do you think we'll be able to make it out alive?'

'We've just got to wait and see.' I replied.

'You!' said a voice from the left, it was one of the pirates. 'You brought these scum here! You!' The pirate raised his blaster, and fired. I reflected his shot easily, and I could here the pirate behind me readying his weapon, and when the blaster bolt came, I swung my blade behind me and I could sense the bolt deflect back onto it's firer.

A squad of stormtroopers appeared behind us at the end of the corridor. 'There he is!' said the leader. They began to fire at me and Ackbar. We made a beeline for the ship, which suddenly went up in a ball of flames.

'What!' I exclaimed, there were no fighters in the sky or bombers that could've done this. I looked behind the ship, and I could see two… things there.

These things looked like chickens, they had too metal legs, and the "head" had two standard blaster cannons on it, and two flaps just above them. It was quite big though. The things fired at me, I dodged every shot by jumping here and there. I backflipped three consecutive times to dodge the cannons. I leapt onto the top of one of them, now I had them where I wanted them, the other "chicken" fired at me, but ended up taking out it's friend. I jumped onto the top of the other walker before the cannons made contact. I jumped off of the top and held myself on with the flap, I stabbed my lightsaber into the walker, and was met with a scream that meant I had found my target. I pulled my blade out and stabbed it into the other flap, and had successfully defeated the two walkers.

There was one ship two hundred feet away that was scouring for any pirate survivors that hadn't been killed yet. Me and Ackbar ran over to the ship, we had to time our jump perfectly. We were almost there when I was cut off by a hidden force. I looked up and saw Darth Vader standing over me. Ackbar looked back to me.

'GO!' I demanded.

Ackbar kept running towards the ship. I leapt up and glared at Skywalker. I ignited my lightsaber and so did Skywalker. We clashed blades twice and I kicked him to the ground. I sprinted towards he ship with Ackbar while Vader stood there watching our escape. It was a brief fight but believe me, it's not the first lightsaber fight we'll have. The ship came over us and I leapt onto the open platform. Ackbar looked at me with wide eyes as the ship flew away. I picked him up with the Force and landed him on the platform with me. We went up to the cockpit.

'We need to leave!' I told the pilot.

'Wha- No! There's people down there!' He replied.

'How many people have you collected?' I asked.

'Only you two.' He told me.

'How long have you been searching?' I pressed on.

'About an hour.' He said.

'Then leave!' I ordered.

The pilot battled with himself for a moment or two, before he piloted it upwards towards space.

'God give me strength.' The pilot sighed.

Thankfully the ship wasn't noticed. It pulled out of the atmosphere and two Star Destroyers could be seen in wait for any escapees.

'Punch it!' I commanded.

The fighter entered hyperspace, and shot out of the area and away from the Imperials, and most importantly, away from Vader.


	16. Chase in Coronet

I didn't trust our pirate pilot, but he had gotten us this far. We'd pulled out of hyperspace quite a while ago and we were just running out of fuel, it was like they filled it up just before the battle, like they were expecting that the approaching stormtroopers were going to tear everything down upon arrival. The nearest system was the Correlian System, and thankfully it wasn't that far away. I tried to point out the system on the navi-computer but the pilot said he was already headed in that direction. Corellia was the largest and best known planet in this system, therefore it has the most supplies. I told the pilot about this too but then he said he already knew that. This made me very suspicious, Corellia does have quite a large criminal underworld, no doubt a few fellow pirates will be there, but I'm not sure they knew we were coming.

The ship entered Corellia's orbit and descended towards the ground. Corellia was also had a well-known spaceport, which had more than enough things any self-respecting pilot would want to keep their ship in good condition, for a price. The clouds surrounding the ship had dissembled, and a clear view of Corellia's captial city, Coronet.

The city view front the height that we were at was stunning, you could see the entire way across the city, and all it's landmarks. You could see the building that belonged to the Corellia Times, the local newspaper, it wasn't as tall as a skyscraper, but it truly of was amazing, the pathway leading up to it was made of glittering marble, and there were fabulous fountains on either side. There was the fantastic glass dome that was Correlia's Zoological and Botanical Gardens, inside the dome there were bright and beutiful colours, with trees stretching really tall, almost hitting the top of the gigantic dome. There was also the Coronet Arms Hotel, with diamonds attached to the big oak doors, and a red and blue banner above the doors, and the hotel, belive it or not, was a Republic fortress during the Sith Wars, now it was a friendly five-star hotel that looked after it's guests in a way that every other hotel should follow. There was the highest building in Coronet, the Coronet Capitol Tower, it didn't have any fancy decorations but it was stunning, I guess it all came down to the height of the building, it towered over everything else, it was the home of the Corellian government, all their meetings were held there. Also, Coronet's Museaum of Fine Art, filled with miraculous paintings and sculptures, jewels and gems, it had beutiful quartz pillars and a lovely white roof, all of the art from the Galaxy either trwent to here, Coruscant or one of the other renowned Art Galleries. The Coronet Medcenter supplied not only top-quality bacta, but stunning views, a building made out of fine marble extracted front the ground by the wealthy Coronet Mining Corporation, renowned for extracting the most ore than any other mining corporation in the Galaxy. Another iconic landmark, Coronet Shipping, the busiest trade hub in the sector. Ships came in with goods everyday and people swarmed for the trading. There was also Elmas Private Spaceport, a port that belonged to the Corellian government, where beautiful speeders and private starships came in to land. Not to mention the famous Mynock's Haven, where mounds of people visited everyday to relax. Last but not least, our destination, Coronet City Spaceport, ships landed here from all over the Galaxy, whether it's business travels, holidays, defection, for repairs and even connecting flights.

There wasn't that many ships in port, so we had a lot of space to choose from. The ship began to stabilise, and slowly landed comfortably on the smooth stone landing pad. I took my time to look out of the window, where the no-one hurrying around like normal at every spaceport, no holiday-makers, no defectors, no businessmen and even no security. I'd read in the Jedi Archives that Coronet was a vibrant city, especially in the spaceport, where local engineers, passport control are everywhere, as Coronet vows not to become involved in any war. Instead of engineers and whatnot, stormtroopers strode towards the ship, the one at the front, wearing an orange shoulder pad, indicating he was the leader of the group. They went round the front of the ship to the back, where they could be heard knocking on the entrance to the ship. Me and Ackbar hurried towards the cargo bay, and hid inside the piles of junk kept in there. The pilot must have got the gist of things, as he didn't ask any questions, and it was quite normal to see a Weequay travelling to planets like Corellia, so hopefully, the troopers wouldn't ask any questions either. We could hear the ramp descending, and the heavy clanking footsteps of the stormtroopers travelling up it. I could sense the pilot coming to meet them now.

'Where's ship control?' The pilot enquired.

'We ARE ship control.' The leader replied. 'Ever since's this empire began they've replaced all Imperial spaceport control with Imperial Stormtroopers.'

'I've only come to fill her up.' The pilot stated.

'But first we've received orders to search your ship.' The leader told the pilot.

'What? Who gave you that order?' Said the pilot, outraged.

'That information is classified. Men, search the ship!' The leader ordered.

Clanging footsteps could be heard spreading across the ship. I could sense two stormtroopers enter the cargo bay where we were.

'I'm not searching for Jedi inside that junk.' One of them stubbornly said, confirming they were searching for me ane Ackbar.

'Well, neither am I.' Said the other.

'Let's just tell the boss that we searched and nothing was there.' The first suggested.

'Uh... Yeah, let's do that.' The second agreed.

The Stormtroopers ran out of the room. I could sense the troopers saluting their superior officer and stating they thoroughly checked the room.

Their mistake.

I poked my head out of the junk ever so slightly.

My mistake.

At that time a Stormtrooper who was patrolling the corridor went by, and noticed the junk move as my head dropped as fast as a cruiser with a major engine fault. The trooper turned to the room and fired into the junk a few times. He then proceeded to kneel down and move the junk apart looking for us (obviously this one was braver than the other two). I gripped my blade and slid it out of it's holster and readied it, my finger hovering over the button to activate it. The Stormtrooper's hand could be seen sNanking through the rubbish and pulled it away, uncovering me and Ackbar.

'What the-' He began to say.

I reacted quickly, activating my lightsaber and stabbing it through his stomach and hastily retracting it. I knew that now we hadn't any time. I ran into the corridor, where I bumped into three Stormtroopers, one with an orange shoulder pad, the pilot, startled, was behind them.

'A Jedi?' Said the Stormtrooper with the orange shoulder pad, he turned to face the pilot. 'Liar!' He raised his gun to the pilot's head, and fired.

The pilot was dead before he hit the ground, his corpse spreadeagled on the floor. The three troops proceeded to attack, I reflected the bolts back to their firers, which sent them back to the walls. I ducked and weaved through the Leader's fire, and eventually got close enough to stab my blade through the underneath of his chin and out through the top of his skull. Two more troops ran out through exits into the corridor and quickly glanced at the bodies I had slain, before turning to me and began firing. I deflected the bolts and every single one hit their firer. Ackbar ran towards me from the room we were hiding in; He ran towards a Stormtroopers' body and picked up his weapon.

We ran out of the ship, and were met with many eyes staring at us, including Stormtrooper eyes.

'Look there!' said one, pointing at us aggressively.

The rest of his squad took aim at me and Ackbar. I ducked and deflected their shots, while Ackbar fired back at them with his new E-11 blaster rifle that he captured from the Stormtrooper's body. We advanced onwards past the troopers and were blocked at passport control by a burly Snivvian.

'Passport, please.' He said in a gruff voice.

'Let us past, it's urgent!' I pleaded.

'You're not allowed to enter without a passport!' The Snivvian was adamant.

'Come on, let us through!' Ackbar joined in. 'Please!'

'I can't, it's against procedure!' The Snivvian refused, his arms in the air.

I ducked under his arms and he looked back, giving Ackbar the chance to escape as well. We ran into a crowd of people, running and walking this way and that. I looked back through the moving maze of people, and could see a group of Stormtroopers, presumably the ones we passed, advancing towards us.

'Go!' I warned Ackbar.

We weaved through the travellers and past luggage control.

'We have nothing to declare!' I shouted as we ran past the luggage conveyors.

Alarms could be heard going off throughout the spaceport. Me and Ackbar got into the clear where there were no civilians. The Stormtroopers weren't far behind, as they broke away from the crowd and pursued us. We took a right into the corridor containing all the quality brands in the galaxy. We ran into _Pau'an's Boutique_, which sold luxury clothing to many in the galaxy. The Stormtroopers could be seen running past the entrance, thinking we wouldn't be in the shop. Now that they were gone, we ran out of the store and into the corridor. One of the Stormtroopers hesitated, and moved to look back towards us. Me and Ackbar darted into Corellia Coffee, and the trooper looked away. Once we were sure our attackers had completely gone, me and Ackbar made our way out of the spaceport.

'Whoo.' I sighed to Ackbar. 'We lost them.'


	17. Independence and Irks

Now that we'd gotten out of Hondo's jail, away from Florrum, onto Coronet and out of the spaceport, we'd finally been given a free rein over what we could do and where we could go. Finally we weren't being taken to somewhere by someone or being ordered around by some drunk prison guard. Now that we could go anywhere and do anything we wanted, suddenly I had no idea where to go. I walked forward, Ackbar following, deep in thought, before I bumped into something, and my thoughts dispersed. I shook my head and looked at what I'd clashed with, a speeder with a sleek red paint job, and a small low spoiler.

'Hey, watch it buddy!' said a voice.

I looked to my right, and saw a green Twi'lek with blacked out goggles looking at me with his arms in the air in a sort of "I don't know" position, but I could tell he was asking question.

'What are you doing?' He asked. 'I paid a lot of money for this speeder!'

'Sorry, I- uh- I was deep in thought.' I said.

'I'll say!' The Twi'lek hissed. He walked round the speeder towards me and looked at where I walked into it. 'Oh no, oh no, oh no,' He began. 'Look what you've done!' He pointed to the paint, which was still perfectly intact.

'I don't see any-' I began.

'Oh, that's rich, of course you don't! Are you blind? Is that how you've walked into my speeder, because you're blind? Look!' He bleated vehemently, pointing again at the still completely paint job.

I knelt down and brought my face really close to the speeder, I still couldn't see anything. I turned my head round and expressed my thoughts to the Twi'lek.

'You know what, do I have to point it out to you?' He asked.

_You're going to anyway, aren't you_?

'THERE!' He placed his finger on the paint, I leaned further in the tip of my nose was almost making contact with it anyway. I squinted, and I could finally see what he was rambling on about.

Only the smallest, literally the _tiniest_ chip on the paint was there, even as a Jedi, I couldn't see it until having to have it pointed out to me.

'You see? Now I have to get the paint back off!' He moaned.

'It's only a very small chip!' I defended my case.

'You don't understand!' He squawked stressfully. 'It's a gift for my best friend! We've been friends for two decades and he's getting married, so as a gift I thought I'd get him this, as he's given me so much while I've known him, I need it to be perfect!'

Suddenly it felt as if a blaster bolt was fired through my heart, I had to give this guy some money, I searched my pockets. Nothing. I looked around, and saw a few forgotten credits near a gutter, I discreetly pulled the credits into my hand with the Force, no-one seemed to notice free money magically zooming through the air. I shuffled them out in my hands, the texture of the credits allowed me to identify their value, around seventeen credits.

'I'm sorry, it's all I've got.' I said hastily and walked away. Ackbar followed me, I'd almost forgotten he was there. He blindly walked along the streets of Coronet without a clue where we were going.

We managed to find ourselves in the busiest square on Corellia, as it was labelled, at it's entrance. We also managed to get there right as rush hour started, just our luck! We got pushed and shoved all over the shop me and Ackbar were briefly separated by a horde of chattering construction workers, who were on break, who you could see were working on the big skyscraper with the even bigger crane right next to it. We quickly regrouped, and stopped on one of the benches next to the beautiful fountain in the middle of the square. We sat down next to an elderly couple of humans who were gobbling on the then newfound food labelled a "sandwich", but I didn't see any sand in it at all, it was all just confusing.

'Just finished work? Have you?' The male spoke to me kindly.

'Yes.'I smiled, it felt good to know there was still people who cared in this new age.

'What work have you got?' The man asked.

'Lawyer.' I replied, not wanting to reveal my true identity to anyone. Not just yet.

'Oh? You don't look that much like a lawyer.' The elderly man wondered.

'Sorry?' I asked, my brow furrowed.

'Your clothes.' The man replied.

I looked down at my clothes, I then realised that I was still wearing my Jedi Robes from my clash with Palpatine, before all… this.

'To be honest, you kind of look like a Jed-' He began.

'No, no, it's for… er… religious reasons, yeah. I have to wear these robes because… it's a culture and it means the gods… shine more light on you than he does to others… yeah.' I racked my brains.

'Oh really?' The man said. 'What a fascinating tradition.'

It was then that I looked past the man, to a group of stormtroopers holding up a holopad with my face on it, obviously they were searching for me, and they'll take anyone else with them. I elbowed Ackbar secretly to get his attention. He gave me a questioning look, I inclined my head in the direction of the search party.

'I'd love to learn more about this culture, it sounds very interesting.' The man continued. Meanwhile, the search party was getting closer.

My focus was now on the oncoming man's following words were drowned out as I scanned the area for ways to escape.

'Sounds, nice, but I _really_ have to go now.' I warned.

'Oh ok, I'll catch with you later then.' The man smiled.

'Sure.' I smiled while the grimace inside my head was getting bigger. 'Bye now.'

Me and Ackbar hastily escaped from the hustle and bustle and hid behind a few bins perfectly placed to make a hiding spot. I could see the search party move on to the man I had just talked to. I sensed their conversation.

'Excuse me but have you seen this man?' The stormtrooper asked the man.

The elderly man's mouth made an "o" shape. 'Ah, yes! I have! Indeed, I have! I was just talking to the fellow, he seemed quite nice, quite likeable, he went rushing off down… there… somewhere.' The man looked around for me. 'He said he was in a hurry, the young chap. He was also with a fairly tall Mon Cala.'

'Thank you sir, but now you'll be coming with us.' The stormtrooper ordered, harshly grabbing the old man by the wrist, and yanking him off the bench and towards his fellow stormtroopers. The old man's wife slapped both hands to her mouth and screamed. Causing many heads to turn.

'Shut up!' One of the other stormtroopers pointed his gun at her.

I stood up behind the bins and stood in the middle of the pathway in broad daylight. The leader of the group turned to me. I activated my blade.

'Come with us… quietly,' The leader began. 'And no-one gets hurt.'

I took a step forward.

'Where's the Mon Cala?' The leader demanded.

I remained silent.

'Tell me or else I kill him!' The leader said, taking out a pistol and jabbing it at the man's head.

I felt Ackbar stand up behind me.

'Now… walk.' The leader commanded.

Suddenly a big, gunmetal speeder pulled into the square and miraculously didn't knock anyone down. About fourteen armed humans jumped out of the speeder and opened fire on the group of stormtroopers. The leader released the old man and began to counter. Slowly the Imperial troops began to gain the upper hand, until another speeder pulled up and the stormtroopers now were heavily outnumbered. I began to run towards the group of Imperials. The leader of the group noticed me, and grabbed an electrostaff off the back of one of his dead colleagues. We clashed weapons, until I overpowered him and cleanly sliced at his neck, I don't need to tell you the rest. These renegades pulled me onto their speeder, while Ackbar was pulled onto the other speeder. The two sped away from the scene, and away from each other. The speeder was at such a high speed I thought I was going to fall off.

'But my friend is back there!' I shouted the driver.

'Tough!' said another with black hair, a steely, stern face, a red bandana and a sniper rifle holstered on her back, she was wearing light combat clothes with a strange symbol emblazoned on both shoulders. 'We meet up back at base anyway! We just need to shake off any-' The speeder took a turn ambitiously and lurched. 'Imperial escorts!'

'Who even are you?' I shouted over the rushing wind in my ears.

'The Corellia Independence Cult! Striving to reclaim independence from the Imperial scum that rule our planet today!' said the steely, stern faced woman.

'How many attacks have you made?' I asked her.

'Four! Including this one, they've all been minor attacks here and there around Coronet, discreetly rallying more to our cause, and as our rebellion grows, sow will the scale of our attacks on Imperial buildings! Dang it!' She exclaimed.

I could see why, I looked behind the speeder and overhead, and saw two MAAT gunships chasing the speeder.

'Weapons!' The woman ordered, pulling out her sniper rifle and aiming it at the gunships.

The gunships, which used to be behind us,now had the side doors open and stormtroopers ready to fire at us. They were gaining and pulled away to the flanks and pulled forward, now we were level with them, however they still were higher than us. I activated my lightsaber and swung it to and fro to deflect any incoming bolts from the enemy and being extremely cautious to not accidentally decapitate one of my saviours. Eventually all of the troops on the gunship on the speeder's right had been killed by either their own blast deflected off my blade, or by the rebels. The gunship pulled in nearer as if to ram us. I quickly had the idea of throwing my weapon into the cockpit, it met it's target and the gunship slowly crashed to the ground. My lightsaber independently flew itself into my hand, and I moved on to the left gunship, which the rebels were having a bit more trouble with. I was about to leap onto the gunship from the speeder, when we flew straight onto a bridge, miles up from the river estuary, and very, very narrow. I prepared myself to make the jump, but the gunship pilot seemed to predict my move, and mid-jump, he pulled away from me. I thought I was going to fall, but I somehow managed to get a fingertip on the gunship floor. I pulled myself up and placed to hands on the gunship floor, my lightsaber rolled out of my hands as they were searing after holding my weight up. Suddenly I remembered where I was, and went to grab my weapon, which got stamped on by one of the stormtroopers. A hand reached down and picked it up, my gaze followed it, the hand belonged to one of the stormtroopers.

'I don't think so.' The trooper chuckled. He twirled the weapon between his fingers. 'I wonder how it's used.' He looked at me. 'I'm not gonna press this, if that's what you're thinking.' He spoke to me, his thumb hovering over the button to activate it. He held the blade side of the hilt to his face, and turned his head slightly as if he was peering down the lightsaber tunnel, I flicked my hand sideways and used the Force to press the button.

The blade ignited and went through the trooper's chest. The others looked startled as his body fell out of the gunship, but my hand found the lightsaber hilt as it fell with him and took it out of his chest. I front-flipped onto the gunship floor and built up the Force inside of me before the troopers could react. I released the built up energy in a maelstrom so powerful it ripped the gunship apart (not to brag or anything). I quickly tried to dive back down to the speeder, I landed back on the bridge, but the speeder was speeding off across the rest of the bridge. One of the rebels fired a grappling cable at me, I grabbed hold of it and I was pulled down to the ground, my body skidding off the bridge as it was yanked along it by the speeder. I began to pull myself along the cable, hoping to reach it in time before the bridge ended. I was almost there when we could see the end of the bridge. I recognised, one of them "chicken walkers" that I saw on Florrum.

It was going to shoot the bridge.

It fired it's shots and the speeder fell down with me with it.

It was plummeting to the ground when I let go of the cable and pushed it back up with the Force. There was enough cable to grab back onto so I didn't fall myself and I was yanked back up by the speeder and hit my head off the bridge as I levelled out. I was now at the back of the cable again though. The speeder ploughed through the walker's legs and it fell to the ground. On top of the cable. Not wanting to break my skull by hitting the fallen walker, I jumped and pulled the cable as far as it would go before it was pulled back by the many kilograms of metal on top of it. Just before that limit was reached I let go and pushed away the air behind me with the Force so I would go further. I caught up with the speeder, in fact, I almost overlapped it. I landed on it's front bumper. I could feel myself slipping and sliding off so I grabbed hold of the windscreen frame and held on for dear life.

I looked ahead, and saw that the Imperials set up a roadblock, there were two scout troopers on top of speederbikes blocking the path. The scout troopers grabbed their weapons and began firing at the speederbikes. I blocked the two of them with my lightsaber and they were killed by their own deflected blaster bolts. The speeder then proceeded to smash through the two speederbikes.

The speeder then carried on for another five miles undisturbed until it finally stopped in front of an old building.


	18. The Target and the Traitor

The building definitely did look old, or old enough to convince Stormtroopers it isn't the Coronet base of a global freedom-fighter organisation. I jumped off of the speeder and looked up at the building. Either this building is extremely old or the rebels had decorated it that way. The walls were chapped and beige, while the wooden door looked like it was rotting, and the hinges were covered in rust, while the handle looked stiff. I placed my hand on the "stiff" handle. I tried to push the handle, but it wouldn't go down, I placed my other hand on the handle and pushed down with all my might. It didn't work. The rebel with the bandana and the sniper-rifle holstered on her back walked over to the door and placed one hand on the handle and pushed. It opened. I looked questioningly at her.

'Fingerprint sensors.' She said simply.

'Wow.' i replied.

I followed my hosts into the building and looked around.

'Not much to house a rebellion, is it?' I enquired.

'Exactly.' The woman who opened the door said. She signalled me to follow her towards another door inside. 'Jasper Cantierra' She spoke, and in response a buzzing sound was heard. 'He was the latest person in our rebellion that was killed by the Empire, it always changes depending on the last rebel to be killed by the Imperials.'

This was interesting, they really took a lot of caution with their security. There was a small perfectly square hole in the wall next to the door. That want't there before, was it? In it's place slid out a small keypad with numbers zero to nine. The woman pressed a series of numbers on the pad and there was another bleep and she then pulled the door handle and opened the door.

The room in which followed didn't look that amazing to be completely honest, and that's an overstatement. There was a wooden table and a few light stools, a bland painting and an armchair, that was it. The woman walked into the room and grabbed a mug on the table, she spun it round five times and placed it back where it was. She stepped back and told me to do the same. What I saw next was amazing. The wooden table descended into the floor, the stools with it. In it's place ascended a map of Coronet with pins and photos placed in certain places. A lamp was also shining brightly on a small perch where one of the chairs used to be. I walked over to the map and identified their next move.

'Your next target…' I began. 'The Coronet Museum of Fine Art?'

'Yes.' The woman began. 'We've worked out that if we hit the second largest art museum in the galaxy, we'll attract a lot of attention from the Imperials, and they will be searching the whole city for us, but they'll never find us here!' She quoted enthusiastically.

'Good luck with that.' I said.

'What? You're not coming?' She asked.

'No, I'm trying to get away from the Imperials, not run straight at them!' I replied.

'You owe us!' She ordered aggressively, pointing her finger at me and shaking like a Jawa with a cold.

'Do I?' I enquired.

'Yes! We saved your life in the square, remember?' She demanded.

'Yes you did, and I repaid the debt when I downed that gunship and stopped all of you from drowning in the river!' I argued.

'What about your friend? We get him and you can go!' She bartered.

'Don't talk about him like he's some sort of-' I began.

'He owes us, you know this as much as I do!' She stated.

I hate to say it, but she was right, but I wasn't leaving Ackbar to get slaughtered by the Empire due to a mistake made by one of these rebels.

'Fine, but if he has to come with you, I'll go with him.' I told my peers.

'So you're coming with us?' The woman asked, her face lit up.

'I'm not coming with you, I'm coming with Ackbar.' I said, I tried to give as strict tone to my voice as possible.

'Hm, by the end of our attack, you'll be begging to join us!' The woman predicted.

'We'll see.' I said, smiling inside my head, I was never going to join these people… at that moment… it just wasn't the right time.

It was night time at the rebel hideout, and Ackbar's group had made it to here two hours earlier, we ran through my conversation with the rebels, and we realised if we got caught, we'd end up either dead or jailed for life. In my case, dead, Palpatine had, after all, tried to kill me two months beforehand (Time flies doesn't it?).

The secret basement was filled with dozens of makeshift bunk-beds, and it was particularly quiet at midnight, as I found out. According to the rebels, the entire Coronet regiment of the CIC (Corellia Independence Cult) slept down here. I just lay there on the bottom bunk staring up into space. The events of the last two months and how drastically my life had changed in that time was mulled over in my head time and time again. Also, three words kept flashing up in front of my eyes like someone had glued them there.

All.

My.

Fault.

It was all my fault I didn't kill Palpatine. It was all my fault I failed to see Skywalker's shatter point. It was all my fault I didn't put enough faith in Skywalker. It was all my fault I didn't assign him to the mission. Everything that I see today, all the hurt and the tragedy. It's all my fault.

I couldn't get any sleep, it was like whenever my eyelids closed a small fraction, I'd get prodded harshly on my forehead, I had such a headache. I'd never really thought about this new paradigm, everywhere I go, purely because I've never had any time, I've always been getting chased by Stormtroopers and whatnot. I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

_Maybe the rebels have forgotten __that the target's the second biggest art museum in the galaxy, of course it's going to have security, and lot's of it. _Said a snide voice in my head.

I rubbed my eyes and tried to relax, I squinted slightly, then slowly but surely my eyes could finally close. But I yet again was cruelly forced to jump up.

There was a noise outside. It wasn't a simple squeaky bolt or something. There was something, or someone, outside, trying to break the door down.

I clambered up to my feet and pulled out my weapon, I held it up like a torch and lit it, a violet blade shot out of the hilt, and it illuminated the room slightly. The light on the walls caused by my weapon was very dim. There was someone on one of the top bunks watching me cautiously.

'You're not gonna go rampage on us, are you?' He jumped back.

'No!' I retorted. 'Why would I do that?'

'I dunno.' The person mumbled, I realised he must have only been about sixteen, he had quite a boyish face and black curling shiny hair, he also looked very scrawny, he had no business to be in a proper rebellion.

'What's going on?' Said a voice, it was the woman who leads the rebels.

'Listen.' I replied.

Now that there was silence you could hear someone trying to barge the door down a lot more clearly.

*Thud*

*Thud*

*Thud*

I slowly crept up to the secret basement door. 'How do you open this thing?' I asked discreetly.

'It's a passcode, listen, Independence.' The leader said clearly, and she pushed the door open simply.

Me, the leader and the sixteen year-old cautiously made our way towards the door, it felt like the corridor was closing in on us, I didn't have a clue how many Imperials were out there, but if they were following a tip-off, there was gonna be dozens. I pressed my ear against the door.

*Crash*

Five seconds later.

*Crash*

Six seconds later.

*Crash*

Four seconds later.

*Crash*

Five seconds later.

*Crash*

I realised a pattern in the attacks, five six four, five six four, five six four. I took a step back and told the rebel leader to place both hands on the doorknob.

'What do I do?' She asked.

'Just hold it and release it when I say "go"'

'Why?' She enquired.

'Just do it!' I hissed.

*Crash*

Four seconds later.

*Crash*

Five seconds later.

*Crash*

One, two, three, four, five…

'Go!' I ordered.

The door swung open and a stormtrooper holding a massive metal barging cylinder in his arms went flying in. I hastily activated my weapon and aimed it at the trooper's neck, and when he got close enough I swung it.

Three more troops came thrashing in and began firing, I deflected their bolts onto their firers, who fell to the floor instantly. I ran out onto the street outside. There was about two squads and three walkers waiting for me outside.

'AT-STs!' The leader shouted.

'What?' I looked back.

'Them things!' She pointed to the walkers, who opened fire.

I holstered my blade, closed my eyes, bowed my head and placed my arms out straight in front of me, it seemed everything seemed to miss me. I focused my energy to try and manipulate my foe to begin firing upon themselves. It worked, sort of

The squad of troops on my right turned to their allies and began to fire. The attacked squad were quick to grasp what had happened, and retorted. The AT-STs took a step back and fired at the rogue squad, who were wiped out. At least I managed to take a few of the enemy out with that tactic.

At this new revelation, I focused the Force completely on the walker on my right, I managed to pick and could hear a heavy creaking noise above all the shouting and blaster fire. I managed to maintain a steady grip on the walker, I kept it there until the pain building up in my upper arm began to overpower me I threw the walker against the other walker. My muscles began to throb rapidly and I took my blade back out again.

I began to advance on my quarry, they began to retreat slowly, taking steps back towards their speeders as they dropped like flies. Eventually they were so close to their speeders they hopped on and a stormtrooper with an orange pad on his shoulder slapping the back of the driver seat screaming 'Hurry up! Hurry up!' I let the speeders start their engines and it was when they began to flee I took my opportunity. The engines were boiling, the fuel was running out really fast by the amount of pressure the drivers were putting on the accelerator. They were almost around the corner when I slammed both speeders against a wall with the Force, causing them both to explode.

'Head inside, before more come!' I advised my peers, who scampered inside.

We sealed the door and headed down to the basement, where everyone was sitting up in their beds with their guns at the ready.

'The Empire knew we were here,' I addressed them. 'Someone has told them where we are, where our base is, and it's extremely likely they've told the Empire where our next target is. Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a traitor in our midst, and it's one of you.' I stared at each of them in turn, trying to figure out what they were thinking about. 'We don't know how much else they've told the Empire, or what about, but this means one thing…' Everyone now was leaning forward trying to listen to my every syllable. 'This attack we have planned tomorrow, when it happens, we'll have a lot of company…'


	19. When Lightning Strikes

No-one slept a wink that night. No-one dared to rest, the traitor was in that very room with them, yet they didn't know who, the only thing all but one of them knew: That it wasn't it wasn't themselves. People were suspected however it wasn't them. I always kept my hand on my hilt, at the slightest sound I sat up and looked around like an eagle scanning the area for it's prey. No-one was calm, except for the traitor, whoever they were. My eyelids were now heavy, and they subconsciously closed and I had to drag myself out of every dream about that stupid red corridor that I have all the time now, every single night.

It was a very long night, the thought that if we all closed our eyes, even for a minute, the traitor would kill us all. All of a sudden, rain began to fall, and it was torrential rain, straight away, like someone pulled a switch and the heavens opened. Another thing is that the room had no lighting, so it was almost pitch black. Due to the fact there was a very, very small window a the top of the wall as soon as the outside could be seen.

The room sat in complete silence for about an hour, until that silence was broken.

'Lerarra?' Said a voice, I sat up hastily and could barely so through the darkness someone on a top bunk turning over to look at the person on the bottom, I laid back down and sighed.

'Arrrgggghhhh!' screamed the same voice, I sat up again and squinted at the same bunk-bed, but I could barely see what happened.

I soon got help with that, as lightning crashed outside with a "boom!" and the room was illuminated by the lightning through the window and for those two seconds could see a terrified person on the top bunk and someone lying with his neck cut; he was dead. I leapt up onto the floor and activated my weapon and pointed it at the body. I could sense Ackbar's presence behind me.

'Get everyone out of here, tell them to go to the planning room.' I told him without looking at him.

'Got it.' He whispered back. 'Ok, everyone, out, out!'

Everyone then left the room, I looked around, and the lightning crackled again. I left with my back to the door, I followed the convoy into the planning room. The rebels all sat down on the floor while their leader and Ackbar were in two armchairs and I was standing up. I gave the troop a strict stare.

'Can you not sense who it is, Master Jedi?' The leader asked, her arms folded in the armchair.

'The Jedi can sense emotion in the air, and everyone here is calm, and the killer isn't worried or anxious or nervous, they're extremely calm, they fit in perfectly.' I stated.

I counted the number of faces in the room, twenty-six, earlier it was twenty-seven. Twenty-six at risk, twenty-six suspects. Really it was twenty-five suspects because I didn't suspect Ackbar was the traitor, but it sounds cool so I'll keep it. I looked away towards the two in the armchairs.

'Uh, excuse me?' Said a voice, I turned around to face a man looking up at me. 'I need to go to the bathroom.'

My brow furrowed. 'Uh… go in pairs, so the traitor doesn't… get at you…' Moment of awkwardness right there.

The man got up and walked away, while someone else went with him.

'Also,' I added. 'if he is the traitor, then who knows whether he's assembling a bomb or something in there so better to have someone to check…' I trailed off.

We were all sat in silence for about five minutes, until I realised something was amiss.

'Something's wrong.' I told Ackbar. I took a step back then I hurried towards the bathroom where the two rebels had been sent. When I reached the room I had to slow down so I didn't run past it.

The next sight was horrible, the other man I had sent to check was lying slumped against the wall, his head drooped, his arms floppy, his eyes open but lifeless. There were two holes in the wall and there was a hole just under the man's shoulder on either side, they were knife cuts. I stopped looking and attempted to open the bathroom door, halfway through this movement I thought it would need a passcode or something, but the door opened perfectly, and how I wish it didn't.

The man who asked me about whether he could go was lying suspended in mid fall, as his hands seemed to latch onto the sink, and his head was bowed inside the sink also, he somehow managed to cling on but it was no use, he was dead.

Ackbar ran up towards me and I could feel him cringe at the two bodies. 'How?' He asked solemnly.

'I don't know, no-one left the group, so it must mean the killer is still there and he's somehow managed to teleport, I'm not sure.' I wondered. 'Wait. The killer's still in there!'

We sprinted back down to the planning room, with horrific sights in our minds and it was all our fault because we left them, but no, we saw exactly what we left, only everyone looking at us curiously.

'Sorry,' I said. 'false alarm.'

'Where's Frandt and Georjo?' asked the leader.

'They've been killed, and we still haven't got a damn clue who the killer is.' I told the leader, but really I addressed them all.

'What do we do?' Ackbar enquired.

'Have you got any empty rooms?' I asked the leader.

'About ten, all in the same corridor but we don't know what to do with them, why?' She replied.

'So now you can do something with them.' I said. I then turned to the troop. 'Get yourselves in them empty rooms upstairs, three in each, if eventually there isn't three, just go into room and make it four, except for the second-in-command, who's that?'

One of them raised his hand.

'Good, then you'll be staying with us.'

It was about five o'clock standard time in the morning and all was quiet. The rain was still at it, the grey clouds were swirling like they were in a blender. The lightning had stopped, but somehow there was still thunder.

'How are we going to deal with this?' The leader wondered.

'I reckon we should wait it out until morning.' I replied, I looked at the leader, she nodded, I looked at Ackbar, he nodded, I looked at the second-in-command, he shook his head.

'No, I don't think we should do that, I think-' His opinion was cut short as something landed on his shoulder, a dart of some sort, and his head dropped to the table with a clatter.

I twisted in around, and I saw the flail of a cloak flash past the door. I got up out of my chair and sprinted after him I saw the tip of a cloak again swish past towards the rooms the rebels had been positioned in.

'You've got nowhere to run!' I warned him as I reached the start of the corridor. In response all the doors opened and a rebel looked out of them. 'That's just not fair.' I moaned.

The next thing we all knew it was eight in the morning standard time and I summoned all the troopers to the planning room. I spoke to each of them in turn about where they all were when the killings happened, and it was always the same story.

'I was with everyone else.' They all said.

I was mulling this all over in my head when Ackbar placed a glass of water down on the table.

'You look like you need it, you looked stressed.' He smiled.

'Wow, thanks.' I replied. I took the glass of water and took slow sips of it as I regarded the group. 'One thing I noticed,' I took a sip of the water. 'is that the victims all died of knife injuries,' I took another sip. 'which means that the killer,' I took a fourth sip of the water. 'still has the knife on their person,' I took a look at the glass of water, which barely had any in it, so I downed it all. 'and that knife could easily be found.'

I stretched my neck a bit, then I got a bit of a subtle bit of pain in my heart.

_Probably just heartburn_. I told myself.

I punched my chest a bit and coughed, then the pain came back, then it faded away, then it came back again, this time it was stronger, then it attacked again, obviously it was showing on my face.

'Are you ok?' Ackbar asked.

'My heart…' I breathed through the pain.

I grabbed hold of the chair and gripped it tightly, until I suddenly couldn't breathe, my heart was failing.

'What's wrong?' Ackbar asked, worry highlighted his face.

'Poison.' I choked.

I fell off my chair with a clatter and rolled around, making gagging noises as I went.

'Somebody get an ambulance!' The leader shrieked.

'We can't!' Ackbar contradicted. 'He's wanted across the galaxy!'

My eyes began to roll, Ackbar knelt down and slapped me thrice.

'Come one, Mace, stay awake.' He pleaded. 'What have I done?' He wallowed.

'It's… not your… fault.' I gasped, looking at him with my eyelids scrunched up. 'You… didn't know… what the killer had… what they'd… put in there.'

Ackbar stood up and held his head like he was trying to cave it in, meanwhile I was rolling around on the floor like a pig in dirt.

'What do we do?' The leader screeched.

'Argh!' I screamed as I turned over onto my front and slammed my fist while taking an airless breath…


	20. Detonating Suspicions

**Hi guys! I thought I might start an Author's Note at the start of every chapter now because why not? I feel it's a good way to start as it should be quite friendly and it can give people a head's up if there's any stuff that's quite dark coming up in the specific chapter, anyway, tell me what you feel about it in the review section, remember you can always send feedback, (including constructive criticism, but no hate) if you like, I'll always try to listen and reply to your review. :) (BTW Writer's Block was a pain for this chapter)**

Sometimes you've got to accept defeat, sometimes you've got to back down and prevent further harm. That's what I'd done, I'd accepted the loss, my body shut down and reluctantly my mind stopped buzzing, I exhaled gently (without any air coming out) and then remained silent, what I saw next was extraordinary…

My eyes opened and I was standing in the same room, I could see... Myself? There was Ackbar performing CPR on a unconscious or a dead body. It looked remarkably like me, what was he doing, I was fine! I went to go place my hand on his shoulder.

'It's fine, I'm right-' I stopped speaking, when my hand reached Ackbar's shoulder it went straight through, like I was a ghost. That isn't possible? Is it?

Is it?

Soon after it finally clicked, this was an out of body experience, scientists and psychologists conducted a study on this kind of thing in Rodia. i always believed it was nonsense but… now I wasn't so sure…

But wait. This was perfect! If no one could see, hear or feel me, I might get closer to finding out who the traitor was. I didn't have much time with this experience, I couldn't stay dead forever, well, I could actually be _dead _forever but you know what I mean, right?

I travelled away from the huddle of people exasperatingly trying to get over to me and bring me back. I walked around the room and peered inside people's pockets, looking for a small flask with a strange substance inside or a knife of some sort. I couldn't find anything, nothing at all, I went back over to my body and knelt down, eugh, I obviously hadn't had a shower for ages. I stood back up and looked around the room hopelessly, this out of body thing gave me no advantage at all!

I tried to walk out of the room, but something pulled me back, literally I was getting dragged back into the room, maybe this was a restriction of this out of body experience.

So I found myself back where I started, without clues and no lead, everyone was huddled around me so tightly I could only make out the back of their heads, even Ackbar couldn't be seen anymore.

Suddenly I noticed one of them shuffle backwards. Eventually the man stood up and shuffled out of the room, curiously, I followed him. This figure went into the room opposite, I was surprised no one noticed the man leaving the room, they must've been focused intently on the situation in hand, bringing me back to life. I felt that strange restriction again, so I didn't fight it, and hoped he might stay in view in that opposite room, and better still turn around soI could see his face.

Unfortunately he didn't, so I settled to studying the back of his head and his frame.

He was lean but not too skinny, tall but not a giant, and muscular but not overpowering, the back of his head was covered by a grey beanie that covered all of his hair. This was something to look for, when I'm conscious again, if I'm _ever_ conscious again, nevertheless it was a clue. The man reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out a holoprojector, he studied it for a moment then took a deep, slow breath, before turning it on.

The holoprojector projected (duh?) a flickering portrait of a man wearing an apparel similar to that of Bridge Command in Republic cruisers during the Clone Wars. His body was pencil-thin like he hadn't eaten for a year, his complexion was skeletal, his cheek bones clearly visible poking out of his skin like there was hardly any flesh there, he had a small moustache which was so small I wondered why he even bothered with it at all, his hair, which could be seen under his beige cap for his uniform, was a dull grey with white slivers here and there, his eyes were also grey and daunting, shadows surrounding it and he had straight, thin lips and his nose was short and narrow, he had a scar travelling up the right side of his nose and it ended on a curve above his eye, he seemed like a typical person you wouldn't expect to be a magician or a clown, maybe he could've been a clown on some planets (Aleen for example).

'Ah,' his voice sounded prideful and official, he sounded, and looked like he was no-nonsense. 'You've finally called, have the rebels been dealt with?' He asked.

'Not yet.' Said the caller with the beanie. 'They're _being _dealt with as we speak, I've taken out several already and there running around like headless Nunas while I'm plotting my next attack, I don't think anyone suspects me,' while he was speaking his contact was nodding curiously. 'not even the Jedi, in-fact, the Jedi is laying in the opposite room dying as we speak!' He was almost giddy with this accomplishment.

'Well done, Agent Kallus, a great first mission! However,' his tone changed in an instant. 'don't get complacent or clingy, if you carelessly reveal yourself the whole operation is a bust! Are you sure there's no-one listening?' The contact commanded.

Agent Kallus looked over his shoulder and no-one was there. 'No sir. Although I do have the feeling I'm being watched.' He said cautiously.

_I wonder why._

'Do you have any word on my brother?' Kallus asked.

'Your brother has just been dispatched to help the ISB on a mission to Nar Shaddaa, I'm sure he'll come out of it in one piece.' He assured Kallus with an unconvincing smile.

'Ok, I'm going to return to the rebels now and I'll call if anything… annoying comes up.' Kallus concluded, ended the call and putting a lot of emphasis on stuffing the holoprojector back in his inside jacket pocket.

Kallus gave a small cough before turning round, and just before I could see his face-

'He's alive!'

I woke up from my out-of-body-experience and saw Ackbar's slimy Mon Cala face peering at me intently. Behind him were a bunch of rebels who were following Ackbar's facial movements.

'Are you ok?' He asked with a worried tone.

I hesitated, before sitting up hastily, startling Ackbar and the onlookers. I looked around for the grey beanie, I tried to get up but however I was pulled back down to the ground as my leg gave out.

'Careful, what's the rush?' Ackbar said, his pupils growing with concern.

'Kallus…' I breathed. 'Someone… called… Kallus…'

'Kallus?' Said the rebel leader. 'We don't know anyone called Kallus…' She bowed her head, deep in thought.

A mumble of "No." and "Don't know him." spread out throughout the group.

'Look for a… look for hat! A grey… beanie!' I said breathlessly.

'Master Windu, you're making no sense!' Ackbar said.

'Erm…' I wondered. 'Er… Do a rollcall!' I suggested.

'Ok, I'll get the roster!' The rebel leader ran out of the room and returned moments later with a folder in her hands. 'Erm… Grentford? You're here. Pelo? Oh no, he's dead. Sullak?' There was a pause. 'Sullak?' No one spoke. 'He's not here.'

'Are you sure he's not dead?' I asked.

'No, I made a list of all casualties, he wasn't one of them.' The rebel leader replied.

I tried to get up, and this time I was successful, I leaned against Ackbar's shoulder and pursued the answer.

'Sullak? Sulk…' I pondered over the name for a moment or too. 'How is it spelt?'

'S, U, L, L, A, K. Why?' She informed me.

'S, U, L, L, A, K? Hm…' I spoke underneath my breath. 'K, A, L, L, U, S. Sullak, Kallus.'

'Master Windu?' Ackbar enquired.

'The names!' I thought out loud. 'Sullak is Kallus backwards! They're the same person! Where was he last seen?' I asked.

'In the huddle surrounding you when you were unconscious.' The rebel leader told me.

'Then he's still in the building, he's-' I was halted by a boisterous clapping sound.

'Oh well done.' We looked to the door, in it's frame stood a man clapping his hands together, his voice matching that of the suspect's, his build did too.

His face was pointy and sharp, his skin stuck to his bone but not as much as his contact's did. He had golden curling locks, his eyes were large and brown and a small smile curled across his thin lips.

'Quite the crime solver, aren't you, Jedi? It turns out now the tables have turned. Now I'm the enforcer, and you… are the criminal.' He put a lot of emphasis on "criminal". 'One thing I must ask, how did you find out about my name; Kallus? Hm?'

'Lucky guess.' I snarled.

'Well, it doesn't matter, because none of you will be able to tell the tale.' He reached into his pocket and took out a thermal detonator.' Because you'll all be turned to ash.'

He pressed the ignition button on the detonator and dropped it on the floor, he then proceeded to run out of the room while the detonator began making a beeping sound, the beeping slowly got faster, until it got so fast it was seconds until it-

'Brace yourselves!' I warned, as a crash was heard and flames spewed out of the grenade, and we were all in it's radius…


End file.
